- Foundations of FAITH iho bani) ty eos: ne 19 td ply ‘9 As A uae At, buy a if it AN PAT yaa.) ee GALS ae aaa, — = ‘ae = = Tex ie mee OF ae oie: ys ee ratinn hy ie ve sb pt oh tay 441 tie pe 7 td a > ay Lene ee pe yt Ma eS uy ee AN Dinl ty Ny AYLC!y es i ; AY aD iw : j i Ps : \ TNT Ya ae ani Na “i, eee Fin. ¥A5 7 ; ‘*. Dot aN + \ Para ‘ ie he ae NO 4 pea Thay CLES ot eee ¥ileos ia ny ‘ pare 1% | al As AN vb \ i d Pig Oey. in : ’ De WANs wry iy | tes tc. p »* su : vy q: i rn On We. i : fi) “ae , sen he es i , Me: ba¥p ‘a NAS " Rye P Wh ‘ ‘ ri nny | iy - ’ * Aba nt WY ‘ Caen tn aa yi oly ate hi tee A s) By? ' a } Ae a mat Ky Vs 1 OS TP : Mr aera” dee ; if Pi ’ re ul / | , ' ¥ vs Ye a tay ' , ‘ VAA ra" T PALA }- A I te Lee ee 1 * Shay, ; oi fe iy be Uhr} ‘eug pan yi fy } Py Boy . a i anne mT) Aoi) ea ks sy j hy y a R : : pb) A eee ant Sata © . ust eS PP a Ree hts Me RY) oe a Be ik te Ma) S PVP CR REAL TRI Ala urn 8 ATC d. ‘wit \ 1 0. Wut : nr 1 gre F Are ; AA bee Ay , z Are LD ry ' te ‘ ion ; ¥ heh gly “1 AY ee A , wt, GAN 0 Ps ae AL) Saris 4 ee tt viv Saty wl ls oe ee na ny, P Ye B dint et - ie ¥ sed Crt We) Si qi ve AY at Le y aA ‘ (OTe tas Br Pn x i mo : A fe ik: nis _ 1 are "hs cf ifs anda! aD ; ee t bo ' Ar AD us Py » , ' 4 i Kit ho! v ¢ SS 7 ‘ rs ao an ‘ . ay ’ PPA Pee Ne ee al y . . cod ly Ko OF PRINGE D JAN26 1926 | FOUNDATIONSZO#F, FAITH A Manual of Christian Evidences seed GEORGE ALBERT jee ed Boy D. D. PASTOR OF ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH YORK, PENNSYLVANIA THE UNITED LUTHERAN PUBLICATION HOUSE PHILADELPHIA, PA. CopyricHT, 1925; By Tue Boarp OF PUBLICATION OF Tue Unitrep LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA MADE IN THE UNITED StTaTEsS OF AMERICA “CONTINUE THOU IN THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST LEARNED AND HAST BEEN ASSURED OF, KNOW- ING OF WHOM THOU HAST LEARNED THEM; AND THAT FROM A CHILD THOU HAST KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE UNTO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS.”—II TIMOTHY 3:14, 15. Whar ae DD ay eal Oe LOWER AN i) Nt y Me ok yi a | Mish Ste A! a My | Pie aby s 4 P he eP ith y i? ; \ eee Bere fo irs) ol ALS a (alsa a PY mi aay eh ay Bn nit «© ; hs ye »? Fe pt at's ; 7 Is F {i , Ey, | ay | y : VAN ; A > e 4 eat ries ay ie nah a rs Hs } \ ae at A eu ii iy hs 4 MR de My 0 ry a ay sees ne Wi as AVE j Aiea teat thie ; ae?) | vA, an Vek 1 aes a mie ? Clas : ce A a ba ithe Maya lose a ia i oh ye, a ie Aa 1 Le wy crt: : + hCADNE GE Ty et ae ’ “RM ne MeL aE Been. ae ey We " ; ar ae - tas Ve ies Rap ( ' (a e ‘iy ' : Des eee Decent aN ey y fh Vilaw Es Ab . my," gery 74 14 if ds Ns ff ) ye Peuaats, 3; \t)> ay ROA. « vA a Be vend MAL, Vi) i 1 Dat f ie a) i} uf f\ ECP Sy ig * ¥ | eae a 0 i BO NE 4S cae a Guinea EO NASTIIRE Ss het 6 N AQ ar DVT OAM DENS CRUMIMRE oh ATL Sg, § Hite 7 iret ; ie : ai Can ; ee L } ae | A 4)% : seri it 4 ms) Ls ' ai ) abet oe WI pays o/ i a A i a Wish ae La : da ua My FOREWORD The faith and teachings of the Christian Church rest upon secure and massive foundations of truth. It is the province of “Christian Evidences” to investigate these foundations and in so doing make plain the reasonableness of religious belief. In this age, as in the past, nothing is lost, but much is gained by an honest study of the facts which underlie religion. There are abundant reasons for believing in God, in the Bible as a divinely given revelation of God, and in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. For the purpose of strengthening faith and enabling a young Chris- tian to “give to every man that asketh a reason for the hope that is in him” a reverent study of the entire field of Chris- tian evidences cannot be too strongly commended. Many profound and scholarly books have been written upon this subject, but when about two years ago the author was asked to take charge of a class in Christian evidences in the Community Religious Training School of York, Pa., he could not find a text book which was adapted to the needs of his class. There were books which treated of “Natural Theology” but they did not include the reasons for believing in the Bible, or in Christ. There were other volumes which gave the grounds for belief in the deity of Jesus, but had nothing to give concerning the ground work of belief in God. There were books which dealt with the authority of the Bible, but were silent about the other aspects of the subject with which the author was concerned. Fail- ing to find what was required, the following notes and com- ments were prepared and used in the class room with suc- cess. They are now offered to a wider circle of readers in 5 6 FOREWORD the hope that they may prove helpful in clarifying and strengthening Christian faith. The author freely acknowledges his indebtedness to others for much of his material. Among other works upon the subject he has made much use of the following: “Natural Theology,” by M. Valentine, D.D.; “Grounds for Theistic and Christian Belief’ and “A Manual of Christian Evi- dences,” by George P. Fisher, D.D.; “A System of Chris- tian Evidence,” by L. S. Keyser, D.D.; “Christian Evi- dences,” by William Rowe, and “Why We Believe the Bible,” by Amos R. Wells. The author has also had the privilege of examining the manuscript lectures of J. A. Singmaster, D.D., on the subject of “Apologetics.” Charles M. Jacobs, D.D., and Foster U. Gift, D.D., have read this book in manuscript and have given valuable suggestions which are gratefully acknowledged. GEORGE ALBERT GETTY. Vork wha: July, 1925. GENERAL OUTLINE PAGE TROT TORY sracie contests eer eei nus eeeasscteresdoreuupivbcode ales aaea thea cay ine peaauantia eta 9 PART I.—REasons FoR BELIEF IN THE EXISTENCE OF Goob.......... 13 CIO METESIPHIVE: LLVICENCES 0s. ctkeraestertant nwtsethunttmaaeamearecee 15 Cada nes Optolomical Are umMent 33. crc- cncssartcccnecutespeee ae eee 22 Paupbne cosmological mAronumentyiy....clcsscdndistesnuteecnenenenee 26 (Aye Lhe sPeleciopical ATSUmIent sci sus.ccacseslunseteectct tienes 31 oye cee Morale Aretimentsatneuinuaiwin ans pear cca ane 35 PART II.—REAsons For BELIEF IN THE BIBLE AS THE WorpD oF Gop. PIAL LesumMptl ver COnSICEratiOns i.nsAiicAstsmiouseeseueiien monroe 43 Ue eer er nia Le PVICENI CEs ss tka ea haan Beran Mead en go Cea 47 CSV el iiter nal PE VIceNiCES ee. esteiasccth tien canter eerie ak eee oe 52 PART III.—-REAsons For BELIEF IN JESUS CHRIST AS THE SON iy” LTB SONOS BEY LAR a aa ek OLAS SPRRD EER G RM IG SABN Ta UU LE ANNA aoe EE 59 COE TODUELY Manet Weatitcrccsseceos thse #) AURAL Wey SEAS oT RANMA 2 62 See ee LEACIINeS OT LTISty 4765) cha ceiccie veeaaeu a tise ata aainte 67 POA IE WIIEACIOS POTN ASTIL IST LAs nya ere oterpdeioe mp ua tite 72 (AP ye ties Te CSTISPECTION A OM TITISE sheen iints cateutonkes lees tea 77 Coy Dem THUCNCey OL CIestias a epticincseaercn iter austere 81 CONCLUSION.—THE Crowninc EvipENcCE— PERSONAL Ex- TCR ESA. Pe Sar PINs DO BEY PSOE RET REP OPY sO BA” POONA MA IUGR ORL uM Ba rats RU . 86 is tinh | On ore iv, Wee INTRODUCTORY FAITH DEFINED. The term “Faith” as used in religion is often misunderstood, because so much has been written about it, and so much has been said from the pulpit, that the minds of many people have become confused, and they have come to regard faith as something mysterious and incomprehensible. The definition given in the New Testa- ment does not help materially to clear up the confusion,— “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus _ Christ did not say much about faith, but he did use the word “belief” quite frequently. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15, 16). In these familiar passages that which is spoken of an essential to salvation is the same thing as is signified by the term “faith” but the simpler word “belief” is used. It will probably help to a better understanding of the entire subject before us, if we keep in mind the fact that faith and belief are synonymous terms. Technically it may be that faith is the stronger word and is to be applied only to that belief which has become strong and clear, but prac- tically it may be said that a man’s “faith” is what he believes. THE BASIS OF FAITH. Faith in the sphere of the religious and spiritual life is not different from faith in other relationships. The farmer tills his fields and plants his 9 10 INTRODUCTORY crops because experience has taught him to believe that if the soil be well prepared and good seed be properly planted, there will be after a while an abundant harvest to reward him for his labors. The little child has implicit confidence in its parents because in all the experiences of its brief life the father and mother have shown themselves worthy of trust. Into all faith wheresoever it may be found there enter the two elements of experience and known facts. So likewise in religious faith there are foundations of truth ascertained by careful thought and investigation and verified in actual experience. Christian faith is not a feat of mental gymnastics, but rather a process of logical thought which is built upon the solid foundations of known realities, but which reaches out into the regions of the unknown. The Bible bids us “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you.” (I Peter 3:15). The religion of Jesus Christ is the most reasonable thing in the world, and the Christian believer has many massive foundations upon which to rest his faith. It is our purpose to examine some of these “Foundations of Faith.” THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH. In the sacred scriptures great stress is laid upon the importance of faith. A pos- itive belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of men is made the sole condition of eternal sal- vation. This is not strange when we consider the part that faith plays in human life. What a man really believes will mold his character and determine his daily conduct. Pro- found convictions are ever a source of dynamic energy, and the difference between a strong character and a weak one, is usually to be found in strength or weakness of the beliefs of the heart. A deep and clear faith is to its pos- sessor a never-failing source of supp rt and in time of trial a fountain of comfort, peace and joy. The faith of 2 INTRODUCTORY 11 the strong man shines forth with steady radiance and guides his footsteps unfalteringly towards his goal; the faith of the weak man is so dim and uncertain that it affords him but little help in the hour of darkness. There is nothing of more consequence to any man or woman than a clear and well-grounded faith. “THE FAITH: OF THE CHURCH.” The “Faith of the Church” is that body of Christian truth which has been accepted by the multitudes of Christian men and women during the past nineteen hundred years. This faith finds expression in the great historic creeds of Christendom— The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed, The Athanasian Creed, and others. In these creeds are stated in concise form the fundamental truths which the Church of Jesus Christ in all the ages has regarded as essential. The larger denominations of the Christian Church have amplified the statements of the more ancient creeds, and given to the world their several “confessions,” but underneath all con- fessions and creeds there are certain vital truths which re- main unchanging as the eternal hills, and which are as es- sential for the Christian of today, as they were for the disciples of nineteen hundred years ago. THREE GREAT QUESTIONS. There are three great ques- tions which must be answered in the affirmative before any man or woman can experience the power and enjoy the blessings of a well-developed Christian faith. These three questions are: (1) Do I believe in God? (2) Do I believe in the Bible as a divine revelation? (3) Do I believe in Jesus Christ? There are ample reasons why we should be able to answer each of these questions unequivocally and confidently in the affirmative, and it is our purpose to review these reasons, or in other words, to delve down beneath the superstructure of Christian faith and examine the founda- tions upon which it rests. 12 INTRODUCTORY TERMINOLOGY. In seeking answers to the questions stated in the foregoing paragraph, we shall be traversing the field of study which is ordinarily known as “Apologetics.” The term is a technical one applied to the investigation and defense of the system of Christian truth. The word “apologetics” comes from two Greek words signifying a discourse or argument in behalf of any given cause. In colleges and theological seminaries the term is applied to the entire subject of “Christian Evidences.’ There is a department of Christian Evidences which concerns itself wholly with the reasons for a belief in the existence of God, and to which the name “Natural Theology” or “Rational Theism” is sometimes applied. This field will be covered inate) REVIEW QUESTIONS . What is faith? What two elements enter largely into faith? Is faith in harmony with, or antagonistic to, human reason? . Why is faith important? . What is “The Faith of the Church’? . In what documents is the Faith of the Church set forth? . With what three questions does the subject of Christian Evi- dences deal? 8. By what other name is the subject of Christian Evidences known? NIIAUP WDE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH degraudaed ty GROUNDS FOR BELIEF IN THE EXISTENCE OF GoD TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE. The Bible does not undertake to prove that there is a God, but rather takes the fact of a divine existence for granted. Most men believe that there is a God, even though they may not pretend to any ac- curate knowledge of Him, or to any intimate relationship with Him. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 53:1), but it is only a “fool” who would cherish such a thought, and even he is usually slow in acknowledging it. All the available evidences confirm the belief of thoughtful and intelligent men in the existence of a Supreme Being. The Bible assumes that men recognize the existence of this Supreme Being, and confines itself to the task of making known His works and His will. SPONTANEITY OF FAITH. Belief in the existence of God is spontaneous in the human heart and is not dependent upon the processes of reason. Many who have not taken the time to reason about the great facts and problems of existence, have nevertheless cherished a lively faith in God. It has been said that “man learns to pray before he learns to reason.” This is true not only of the individual whose life is passed in Christian America where he is under strong religious influences from earliest infancy, but is like- wise true of the human race taken as a whole. Neverthe- less it is a good thing for those who have reached the ig 14 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH point in life where they are able to think, to inquire into the reasonableness of their faith, and to examine the founda- tions upon which that faith rests. FIVE SPHERES OF INVESTIGATION. There are five distinct lines of argument that may be profitably employed in es- tablishing firmly and clearly a faith in the existence of God. They are: (1) Presumptive Evidences. (2) The Ontological Argument. (3) The Cosmological Argument. (4) The Teleological Argument. (5) The Moral Argument. We shall examine each of these in order. REVIEW QUESTIONS 9. Does the Bible undertake to prove the existence of God? 10. Is faith dependent upon reason? 11. How many spheres of investigation are open to us in seeking reasons for belief in the existence of God? 12. How do we designate these spheres? SECTION WL PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCES DEFINITION. There are certain facts which while not sufficient in themselves to prove conclusively the existence of God, nevertheless predispose the mind to accept such a conclusion. These facts, together with the logical processes of reasoning based upon them are usually classified as “Presumptive Evidences.” (1) The Universality of the Idea of God. Belief in the existence of a Supreme Being is as extensive as is the race of man and it has persisted during all the centuries from the earliest times until the present. Doctor Valentine said: “We are safe in saying that there has been found no well authenticated case of a nation or race without some con- ception of deity or conviction of the existence of a Supreme Being.” (Natural Theology, p. 26). The ideas of God held by races of inferior civilization have often been vague, and not infrequently grotesque, but beneath all the error and uncertainty there is to be found the basic belief that there is a Supreme Being whom men call “God.” When St. Paul came to Athens he found by the roadside an altar bearing an inscription “To the Unknown God.” (Acts 17:23). The Athenians believed in the existence of a God of whom they confessed they knew nothing except that He did exist. Paul made the inscription the text for his sermon and said, “Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.” Many races and peoples of earth have worshiped in ignorance, but beneath their ignorance there is always to be found the fundamental idea of Deity. ORIGIN OF THE IDEA OF Gop. The question as to whence the universal idea of God arose is one that has engaged 15 16 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH the attention of scholarly minds and various are the an- swers that have been suggested. Some scoffers against religion have advanced the theory that the idea of God had been invented by crafty rulers for the purpose of in- timidating the common people and making them more sub- servient to their sovereign’s commands. ‘This idea is so absurd in the light of all the facts that it is not taken ser- iously by any one at the present time. Doubtless there have been crafty men who have taken advantage of the wide-spread belief in the existence of God, and used it for their own selfish ends and purposes, but in so doing they have but utilized that which already existed and have in no case originated the idea. The absurdity of such an hypothesis becomes the more apparent when we remember how widely diffused is the idea of God. It is inconceiv-. able that men in so many scattered lands should have de- vised the same expedient for deceiving their fellow men. Another theory which has been advanced by skeptical writers is that the idea of God originated in the terror which fills the human heart in the presence of the mighty forces of nature—fire, flood, storm, etc. “The moods of nature are variable and at times appear almost like the variable moods of man, now serene and smiling, and anon frowning and fierce. It may be true that in some instances the phenomena of nature have led men to impute to the wild and mysterious forces against which they struggled the attribute of personality and thus in the course of time develop the conception of “gods” with one of their number exalted because of his power to the position of chief. Such a theory gains some support from a contemplation of the mythology of ancient Greece, as it does also from a study of the legends of the Norsemen of long ago. If all this be granted however it means merely that men of limited mental attainments and without the benefits of any divine PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE 17 revelation have seen in the handiwork of the Supreme Being an evidence of His existence, but have failed to apprehend the beauty and perfection of His character. These efforts to establish the idea of God from a study of his works we shall have occasion to observe in connection with the so-called “Cosmological Argument.” The most satisfactory explanation of the universality of the idea of God is to be found in the constitution of man himself and in the additional fact that in his earlier history there was a direct and immediate communication between God and man, the story of which was handed down from father to son through succeeding generations, and which has become the germ of a universal belief. This is the ex- planation of sacred scripture. (2) The Religious Instinct of the Race. Closely related to the idea of God, yet differentiated from it in some re- spects, is the fact of the religious instinct which is found in the hearts of all men. It is this instinct that prompts men to seek after a knowledge of God and for the divine favor. It underlies all worship wheresoever found—the elaborate sacrificial ritual in the heathen temple as well as the purer offerings of sincere and contrite hearts in the Christian sanctuary. There are those who consider this religious instinct merely a survival of early superstition, but the Bible offers a far more satisfactory explanation. The Scriptures teach that “man was created in the image of God;” that he was intended to enjoy communion and fellowship with God; that disobedience (sin) broke in upon this harmonious relation- ship, clouding the human mind and alienating the human heart from its maker. Within the human soul, however, there persisted a yearning for the peace and joy of the original state of innocence and an all-consuming desire to bridge the chasm made by sin and win the favor of 18 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH offended deity. It is this craving for divine companion- ship and favor that finds expression in the words of the psalmist, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” (Psalm 42:1). But this desire to know God and commune with Him, is not confined to those who have the light of sacred Scripture, but underlies fundamentally all forms of religion which have in them the element of sincerity. “The human heart must have a god as truly as must the human mind develop the idea of one,” said Doctor Valentine. It is conceivable that this craving of the human soul may be the result of accidental causes operating through many decades or even centuries in the past, and that there may be no reality to satisfy this universal longing, but it seems more reasonable to suppose that the soul in thus seeking after God is ful- filling the purpose of its creation, even as do the lips of the new-born babe in seeking the mother’s breast. (3) The Beneficent Influences of a Belief in God. “Belief in the existence and government of a Supreme Being has the clear testimony of utility. The ideas of God, respon- sibility, divine favor and divine displeasure, have unques- tionably been potent for justice, veracity, honesty, tem- perance, purity and order. They have tended to repress wrong. They have given nerve to moral character. Neither individuals nor communities could afford to be without their help.” (Doctor Valentine—Natural Theology, p. 37). It is of course conceivable that these beneficent results might flow from a mere belief, which had no foundation in actual reality, but it does not seem probable. Men have long since come to recognize the principle that truth alone survives, and that truth alone is capable of producing re- sults that are of permanent benefit to mankind. The poet Bryant expressed a principle universally accepted among thoughtful men, when he wrote: PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE 19 “Truth crushed to earth will rise again The eternal years of God are hers; But error wounded, writhes in pain, And dies among her worshipers.” Belief in the existence of God has persisted through the ages and such belief has always and everywhere been a fountain whence have flowed rich benefits to all mankind. Belief in existence of God underlies all systems of morality and makes for the development of the highest type of character. It makes stronger and better men, better hus- bands and wives, better parents and children, better citizens, better social conditions, and without such a belief no ad- vanced and lasting type of civilization is possible. It scarcely seems possible that such a copious stream, enrich- ing all human life, could flow from any other fountain head than that of pure TRUTH. (4) The Reasonableness of Belief in God. Man lives in the midst of a vast and wonderful material universe whose many and intricate parts are bound up together in closest interrelationship. The universe is not permanent but is subject to change. It must have had a beginning, and it must have an end. It shows in all its parts evidences of plan and the adaptation of means to accomplish certain ends. It must have a first cause. What was this first cause that brought the orderly universe into being? The most wonderful and mysterious of all created things is man himself. He possesses a body composed of many members, all of them intimately related and each dependent upon all the others. He possesses mental and spiritual faculties which lift him above all other created things and make him master over even the powers of nature. His life, however, is brief. The days of his years are but three score and ten. Whence came man? Why was he created? What is the end and purpose of his life? Whence goes the 20 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH spirit of man when it leaves the body? These and many other similar questions press upon the minds of men today as they have done in every age of the world, and the most satisfactory hypothesis that has yet been advanced in ex- planation of the material universe and of the existence of man is that which underlies the teachings of the Bible, namely, that all created things were brought into existence by a Supreme Being who is all-wise and all-powerful, and whom men worship as “cop.” We shall have occasion to consider some of the facts here alluded to in connection with the “Cosmological” and “Teleological Arguments’ but let it be noted here that the most satisfactory hypothesis that has yet been advanced in explanation of the universe and of human life is the one that is predicated upon the existence of a Supreme Being. It is a clearly recognized principle in all scientific in- vestigation that when certain phenomena have been ob- served for which no adequate cause can be assigned, then an hypothesis is worked out to fit all the known facts, and this hypothesis is accepted until further research demon- strates its truth or falsity. A belief in the existence of God is the best hypothesis that has yet been proposed in explanation of the great facts that we observe in nature and in ourselves. SUMMARY These four considerations—the universality of the idea of God, the religious instincts of the human heart, the beneficient results of a belief in the existence of God, and the reasonableness of such a belief as a working hypothesis explaining the facts of nature and human life,—are not presented as absolute and convincing testimony that there is a God, but as good starting points for an investigation into the foundations of faith. They constitute “presump- PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE 21 tive evidences,” indicating the likelihood of the divine ex- istence and predisposing the mind to accept the results of other lines of reasoning to which we now proceed. REVIEW QUESTIONS 13. What is meant by the term “Presumptive Evidences’ ? 14. How widespread is the idea of God? 15. What theories have been advanced to account for the idea of God? 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. vA 22. How would you account for the idea? What is meant by “the religious instinct”? How widespread is the religious instinct? What kind of results are produced by a belief in God? Do these results prove God to be real? What is meant by an hypothesis? Does belief in God afford a working hypothesis for the existence of the universe? SECTION II THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT MEANING OF THE TERM. The word “ontological” is derived from two Greek words—“‘ontos”’ which means being, and “logos” which means word, discourse or argument. NATURE OF THE ARGUMENT. The ontological argument is based upon and concerned with the being or existence of God. It is purely metaphysical in character and might be defined as a necessary process of rational thought. THE ARGUMENT STATED. The ontological argument has been stated in different forms by different writers upon the subject of Christian evidences, but may be conveniently put into the form of a syllogism thus: The human mind ts so constituted that it must necessarily think of an absolutely perfect Being (God). Actual existence is an essential attribute of perfec- tion (that which does not exist 1s not perfect). Therefore the human mind must think of the absolutely perfect Being as actually existing. THE ARGUMENT EXAMINED. The concise statements given in the foregoing syllogism will bear examination. The truth of the major premise may not be apparent at first sight, but a little thought will establish it to the satisfaction of all careful thinkers. Man himself is a finite being, and his existence is derived, dependent, limited, conditioned. But it is impossible to think of finite, derived, dependent, lim- ited, conditioned existence, without also thinking of the antithesis of such a state, namely, an existence, underived, 32 THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT 23 independent, and without limitation or condition. The terms in which human life is ordinarily defined have no meaning for us, except in so far as our minds are capable of forming a conception of existence in all respects the counterpart of our own. Doctor Leander S. Keyser states the case thus: “Man cannot think of the relative without also thinking of the absolute, for the one connotes the other; nor can he think of the derived, without also thinking of the underived; nor of the dependent, without implying the independent; nor of the imperfect without connoting the perfect; nor of the finite without infering the infinite.’ (A System of Christian Evidence, p. 171). All the imperfections of humanity suggest to the mind the absolute perfection that is ordinarily ascribed to deity, and the thoughtful man can- not escape the necessity of thinking of a Being underived, independent, unconditioned, infinite, absolute, perfect. It is evident however even to the most superficial student of the subject that a Being who does not exist is neither underived, independent, unconditioned, infinite, or perfect, but indeed the very reverse of all these. Nothing can be said to be perfect that does not exist. Existence is a neces- sary attribute of perfection, or to put it in another form, there can be no perfection until it actually exists. There- fore the requirements of clear and rational thinking demand that the intellect shall conceive of the Perfect Being (God) as actually existing. OBJECTION TO THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT. It has been objected to the argument that it seeks to give objective reality to that which is nothing more than a mental con- cept, or in other words that this argument rests upon the assumption that because we think that there is a God, there- fore God actually exists. This objection is not valid against our argument as stated above. We do not affirm that be- cause we think of God therefore God exists, but we do 24 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH affirm that if we think of a Perfect Being we must neces- sarily think of Him as actually existing, which is the same thing as saying, we must believe in His existence, which is the same thing again as saying we must have faith in His existence. VALUE OF THE ARGUMENT. By some writers the onto- logical argument is not considered in itself conclusive, but is used as a confirmatory argument for the purpose of cor- roborating evidence drawn from other sources. By other writers this argument is regarded as the supreme evidence for the faith of man in the existence of a Supreme Being. Within the sphere of pure reason it constitutes a strong and logical process of thought, the value of which becomes the more apparent the longer it is studied. EFFECT OF DENYING THE ARGUMENT. It is worth while to note that if the ontological argument be rejected or denied there is a complete breakdown in the most profound and orderly processes of human reason. Doctor Keyser re- marks: “If the absolute, underived, independent and per- fect Being does not exist, then man’s necessary concep- tions, the most profound and fundamental of which he is capable, are null and void, and his mind is illogical and in- effective in its very constitution. If that were true then all our thinking would be inane and futile’ (A System of Christian Evidence, p. 171). HARMONY OF THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT WITH SCRIP- TURE TEACHING. The harmony between the processes of rational thinking as embodied in the ontological argument and the teachings of the Bible is striking. Behind the strong rugged statements of both the Old and the New Testaments lies the conception of God as the one underived, inde- pendent, perfect, self-existent Being. To Him are ascribed the attributes of eternity, immutability, omnipresence, om- niscience, omnipotence, personality and self-extstence. When THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT 25 the Lord appeared to Moses at the burning bush He said unto him, “I am THAT I am, . . Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14). This use of the present tense of the verb which expresses existence as the name of God, is ap- parently an effort to convey to human minds a conception of God as one who is self-existent. When Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘Before Abraham was, I Am,’ He does but assert that this divine and eternal principle of self-existence was lodged within Him. In like manner when the statement is made “In him was life’ (John 1:4), there is an unmistakable reference to this uncreated, underived, absolute, perfect life principle. Similarly in Revelation we read, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which js to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8). This Scriptural conception of God’s absolute and eternal self- existence is reflected in the ancient liturgical formulas of the Christian Church, as for example, the Gloria Patri—‘‘as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.” REVIEW QUESTIONS 23. What is the meaning of the term “Ontological” ? 24. What is the nature of the argument? 25. How may the argument be stated in concise form? 26. What is the chief objection to the ontological argument? 27. Is the objection valid? 28. What value do you attach to the ontological argument? 29. What is the effect of denying the ontological argument? 30. Does the ontological argument conflict with Scripture teaching? SEG LION GODT THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT DEFINITION. The word “cosmological” is derived from two Greek words—‘“‘cosmos,” which means world or universe, and “logos,” which means word, discourse or argument. As © used in the study of Christian evidences the term refers to the argument drawn from the contemplation. of the material universe, especially as concerns its origin. THE ARGUMENT STATED. The argument may be con- cisely stated thus: For every effect there must be a cause; The world in which we live is an effect; Therefore the world or universe must have had an adequate cause such as can alone be found in God. THE ARGUMENT EXAMINED AND AMPLIFIED. The major premise in the foregoing syllogism is generally recognized as a principle that is scientifically correct. No event takes place except as it is brought about by a sufficient cause. It is the peculiar province of science to observe the varied phenomena which occur in the world and then seek out the cause or causes which have produced these phenomena. Science recognizes no such thing as “chance” or “hap- hazard ;” it demands a reason for whatever happens, and is concerned altogether with the far-reaching laws which govern cause and effect. The universe in its entirety is an effect for which the mind 26 THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT 2/7 demands an adequate cause. How did it originate? What powerful cause produced this vast effect? In considering these questions we must distinguish clearly between primary and secondary causes. For many of the phenomena which we observe we can find reasons in an- tecedent events, but if we examine these antecedent events we find that they were the result of earlier causes. If we stand twenty-eight dominoes up in a row and knock over the first one, it will cause the second domino to fall, the sec- ond the third, and the third the fourth, and so on until all have fallen. The immediate reason that the last domino falls is found in the fall of the one just before it; the ultimate reason is found in the fall of the first in the line. In a sim- ilar manner the leaves fall from the trees because the frosty air of autumn has destroyed their vitality ; the atmos- phere of autumn is tinged with frost because the earth has altered its position with reference to the sun; the earth has changed its position in the solar system because it is traveling through space at the rate of nineteen miles per second; the earth is traveling through space at this tremendous velocity because—why? What causes this motion? What started the earth upon its course? What was the ultimate and final first cause of the created universe? The term “created” is used in the foregoing sentence advisedly, for there is nothing about the universe to in- dicate that it is permanent. Astronomers declare that even the largest and brightest stars in the canopy of space are undergoing changes; that all stars have their periods of increasing and decreasing brilliancy; that the present state of the heavenly bodies is transitory. He that closely ex- amines nature learns how true is the line of the hymn, “Change and decay in all around I see.” What then is the original first cause behind this vast, complex, changing universe? If it is not permanent, it must 28 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH have had a beginning; and before its beginning there must have been a supreme final cause that brought it into being. Many writers upon the subject of cosmology call atten- tion to the superiority of mind over matter. All the handi- work of man represents not the strength of bodily powers, but rather the creative mind that lies back of and gives direction to the hand and the arm. ‘The creation of human hands is always the embodiment of a human idea. The cathedral is the architect’s dream realized in stone. The automobile represents the knowledge and genius of the mechanic wrought out in steel. It is the task of man to conceive of new possibilities in the field of invention and then translate his ideas into concrete realities. Everywhere in his conflicts with material things man triumphs because of the superiority of mind over matter. The consideration of this fact leads us to believe that the vast cosmos, or material universe amid whose wonders we live, must be the expression of intelligence, or in other words, the universe demands an ultimate first cause in which both almighty power and unlimited intelligence are combined. Such an adequate first cause is to be found alone in the conception of a Supreme Being, possessing in the highest degree the powers of mentality. HARMONY OF THE RESULTS OF COSMOLOGICAL THOUGHT WITH THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE. There is close har- mony between the conclusions of the cosmological argu- ment and the teachings of sacred Scripture. The opening statement of the Bible is: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). Saint John’s opening declaration is: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3). In the psalms there are several references THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT 29 to God as the ultimate first cause of all created things. Thus it is said: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; for he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.” (Psalm 24:1, 2). Back in the minds of the inspired writers lay the conception of God as the only satisfactory explanation of creation, as the ultimate first cause of all things that exist, whose almighty power and infinite wisdom are re- vealed in every part of the universe. EFFECT OF DENYING THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT. To deny the conclusions of the cosmological argument is to leave the human mind without any reasonable explanation of the universe. The only alternatives are: (1) An attitude of agnosticism which refuses to make any effort to solve the enigma of creation, and contents itself with the state- ment, ‘We do not know.” Such an attitude is not only unscientific, but if pressed to its logical conclusion leads to intellectual stagnation and paralysis. (2) An effort to account for the universe by ascribing it to the operation of physical forces or by a process of evolution. The ex- istence of physical forces however demands an explanation and for them the mind must ask a cause, and evolution de- mands a starting point and an intelligent mind superintend- ing and directing its course towards its goal. Evolution without God behind it is utterly unreasonable and mean- ingless. The only explanation that appeals to the mind as worthy of belief is that the universe originated in the creative act of a Supreme Being, Himself uncreated, eternal, self-existent, in whom are blended almighty power, and infinite wisdom. REVIEW QUESTIONS 31. What is the meaning of the term “cosmological”? 32. With what is the cosmological argument concerned? 33. How may the cosmological argument be concisely stated? 30 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH 34. What is the difference between secondary causes and the ulti- mate First Cause? 35. Is mind superior to matter? 36. Does the cosmological argument conflict with Scripture teaching? 37. What is the effect of denying the conclusions of the cosmologi- cal argument? ~ SECTION IV THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT DEFINITION. The word “teleological” comes from two Greek words—“teleos,’ which means end, jand “logos,” which means word, discourse or argument. NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE ARGUMENT. The teleological argument is closely related to the cosmological, but is a step in advance of it. It takes into consideration the evidences of design in the realm of nature, and is based upon the clear adaptation of means to a definite end. THE ARGUMENT STATED. The teleological argument may be concisely stated in the following form: Whatever exhibits evidences of design must have had an intelligent designer ; The universe as a whole, and each of its parts in particular, exhibits unmistakable evidences of design; Therefore the universe must have had an intelligent designer. THE ARGUMENT EXAMINED AND AMPLIFIED. When one looks at any piece of finely wrought out and delicate mechanism, he beholds in it at once the evidence of an intelligence working through certain means to accomplish a definite end. The watch which a man carries in his vest pocket may be taken as a classic illustration of this far- reaching principle. When we examine the watch, we find that it is composed of many different parts, each one of which is essential to the proper working of the whole, and each one of which is carefully adjusted and fitted into its proper place. Immediately we are aware of the fact that there must have been a purpose in mind of the maker 31 32 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH of the watch, which purpose is of course the production of an instrument which would measure accurately the flight of time. It would be idle to say that the watch is the result of accident, or that its combination of parts merely “hap- pened.” It would be equally idle to affirm that the watch had been produced by a babe or by a wild savage of the African jungle. Neither the babe nor the savage know enough to make a watch. Indeed the average man who carries a watch does not know how it is made and is in- capable of repairing the slightest defect in its mechanism. Should his watch get out of order the owner takes it at once to a man who knows how watches are made. What is true of the watch is true also of every piece of human handiwork that exhibits design. As soon as we perceive that there is a design in an article, we know that there must have been a mind at work upon it, definitely planning for a desired end or effect, and using such means as were best calculated to accomplish the end in view. Throughout the universe there run such evidences of design. Science has been divided into numerous branches, each of which pursues its investigations in its own allotted sphere, but wheresoever we follow the investigations of the scientist it is to have firmly impressed upon the mind that everywhere in the natural world there is evidence of design and the adaptation of the best means to secure the end in view. Astronomy has charted the heavens and marked the stately procession of the stars and planets, as well as the motions of the earth itself, with the result that many won- derful facts have been made known. The ponderous masses which form the heavenly bodies pursue their courses through space in regular orbits, without the deviation of a hair’s breadth or the variation of a second in a thousand years, and so precise is their progress and so perfectly adjusted their relationship to each other that students of the stars have THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT 33 learned how to predict future phenomena such as the ap- pearance of comets, eclipses, the exact time of the changing seasons, the rise and fall of the tides of the ocean, etc. Throughout the whole arrangement of the heavenly bodies there runs order and system indicative of design. The same thing is true in every part of the natural world. Every branch of science is concerned with discovering the order and design of natural phenomena and everywhere an elaborate system is discernible. Everywhere the operations of nature take place in accordance with fixed principles or laws. Nowhere does nature act at random or haphazard. Most remarkable among all the works of creation is man. His body is composed of many organs, each one of which shows evidence of design, and each one of which is necessary to the completion and proper working of the whole. The eye is more wonderful than any optical instrument that has ever been devised by the ingenuity of man. The ear is more wonderful than any instrument yet devised for registering sound. The human voice surpasses any man-made instru- ment for the production of sound. The heart is an auto- matic pump that works day and night for many years with-. out the loss of a single stroke. The nerves constitute a delicate telegraphic system for transmitting impressions from the several parts of the body to the brain, and in turn carrying back the mandates of the human will to every muscle, and the operation of the nervous system surpasses in rapidity, in accuracy and durability even the most recent development in wireless. All these and many more delicate organs perform their several functions in perfect harmony and each is essential to the body as a whole. Whence came this marvelous combination? Is man the product of chance? Of blind force? Of evolution? Surely a delicate and complex instrument exhibiting such manifold evidences of design and of the adaptation of means to an end, demands 34 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH as the only satisfactory explanation of its origin a belief in an intelligent creator. EFFECT OF DENYING THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT. To deny the conclusions of the teleological argument would re- quire either that the man take the attitude of agnosticism which has already been referred to, an attitude which is un- scientific and which would preclude all progress in human thought, or that we accept some such theory as that of evolution. To ascribe the origin of nature and of man to a process of evolution is merely begging the question. For if we grant that the conclusions of the evolutionist are valid, then the evident design that runs through the entire series of processes by which evolution is accomplished, and the manifest adaptation of carefully selected means to bring about a definitely chosen end, presupposes and demands as its designer and superintendent supreme intelligence. Whether God created nature and man by separate and distinct acts of power, or whether he created all things that now exist through a long series of processes, is merely a question as to the method of creation. Behind all his works in either case stands the almighty and intelligent Being who designed and who has brought into being all the wonderful works which we behold with our eyes. REVIEW QUESTIONS 38. What is the meaning of the term “teleological”? 39. With what does the teleological argument particularly deal? 40. How may the teleological argument be concisely stated? 41. What familiar illustration would you use to emphasize the teleological argument? 42. Can you give any evidences of “design” in the natural world? 43. What is the supreme example of natural “design”? 44. What is the effect of denying the conclusions of the teleological argument? 45. Does the theory of evolution deny the possibility of faith in God? SECTION V THE Mora ARGUMENT NATURE OF THE MORAL ARGUMENT. The ontological argument may be regarded as an exercise of the human reason in the realm of pure thought. The cosmological and teleological arguments are based upon the material realities of the universe. The moral argument deals alone with those facts which lie within the realm of moral and ethical truth. THE ARGUMENT STATED. The moral argument may be concisely stated in the following form: For every law there must.be a law-giver, with authority to declare and power to enforce the law; There is a moral law affecting all human life and experience, which is attested by (a) con- science, (b) experience, and (c) the intimate relationship between righteousness and hap- piness ; Therefore there must be a moral law-giver, himself righteous and moral, with authority to enact and power to enforce the moral law. THE ARGUMENT EXAMINED AND AMPLIFIED. The major premise in the foregoing syllogism needs no extended com- ment. Its axiomatic truth is apparent. We may find an illustration of the principle involved by turning to our civic life. Whenever a citizen of this country is told, “Thou shalt do this,” or “Thou shalt not do that,” he immediately _ wants to know by what authority such a command is given, 35 36 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH and also by what power it will be enforced. If the command is not backed by proper authority, or if there is not behind it the power necessary to enforce it, it is treated with in- difference. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and in other states also, officers of the law have been successfully resisted in their demands because they had “exceeded their authority.” Sometimes acts passed by the legislature and signed by the governor have been declared “unconstitu- tional,’ and therefore null and void because the law making body and the chief executive did not possess the right to originate nor the power to enforce the law in question. Sometimes, too, laws that are properly passed fail to ac- complish their purpose because of inadequate police power to compel obedience. So far as our civil laws are con- cerned we recognize the principle that there must be behind them proper authority for their enactment and adequate power for their enforcement, and where there is the reign of law, we know that there must necessarily be such author- ity and power, Without such authority and power there is not law and order, but chaos. What is true of our civil laws is true likewise of all other laws which affect human life. Let it be granted that a law exists, and immediately the mind inquires whence it came, what authority and power is back of it, and why it must be obeyed. There is moral law governing human thought and con- duct. Man’s body is no more subject to the law of grav- itation which governs all matter, than is his moral nature subject to a law which controls all thought and action in the realm of morals. There exist the great realities of right, truth, virtue, which all men are bound to recognize and acknowledge whether they want to or not. There is an obligation resting upon men to seek after righteousness and to avoid wickedness, which is felt by all men, and from which none can entirely escape. So firmly fixed is this THE MORAL ARGUMENT 37 moral law that it carries with it its own rewards and pun- ishments which are meted out inexorably without any as- sistance on the part of men. It is impossible for any man to escape the operation of this moral law. Whether he will or not his life must be passed subject to its operations. The law cannot be evaded, nor can any man escape from the legitimate consequences of his own conduct as they are meted out by a power against which it is useless for him to struggle. ConsciENCE. The existence of this moral law is at- tested by conscience. There is within the human breast a still small voice which cannot be silenced and which de- clares with authority that one act is “right,” and another is “wrong.” This internal monitor is not controlled by the wishes of the man concerned, nor by any consideration of his own interests, nor even by his intellectual judgment, but sits in independent judgment upon the man’s conduct and commends or condemns in accordance with a moral standard that lies altogether outside of himself. It is not meant here to affirm that conscience is never affected by various considerations, or that its verdicts are never warped by self-interest, or that its operations continue under all circumstances trustworthy, but it is asserted that conscience constitutes a peculiar phenomenon as it bears witness to the distinction between right and wrong, and to emphasize the fact that in thus testifying it finds the ultimate grounds of the distinction outside of the man himself and outside of his own personal interests. | A consideration of the phenomenon of conscience leads to two main inquiries. (1) What is conscience? and how can it be explained? and (2) Upon what standards do its verdicts rest? When George Washington wrote down among his life maxims, “Labor to keep alive in your breast the little spark 38 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH of celestial fire called conscience,’ he used a phrase which expresses a profound truth. Conscience can only be ex- plained as a spark of celestial fire placed within the human breast by the man’s Creator for the purpose of bearing tes- timony to the moral law established by that same supreme Creator. The standards according to which the verdicts of conscience are rendered will be considered presently under the ultimate ground of the distinction between right and wrong. THE MORAL LAW IN HUMAN EXPERIENCE. ‘The existence of a moral law is attested by human experience. The wis- dom of the world has found expression in such familiar maxims as “It pays to do right,’ “Honesty is the best policy,” etc. These maxims do not express the highest type of morality, for it is certainly true that a man should do right whether it paid or not, and that he should be honest as a matter of principle, rather than from considerations of policy. Nevertheless such maxims are based upon wide observation and the fact that they have become widely current is an evidence of the fact that they have in them elements of truth. It does pay to do right, because in so doing a man is conforming his conduct to a moral law of universal application. It does not pay to do wrong because in so doing a man is running counter to the law, and is bound to suffer in consequence. It is not maintained that the ad- ministration of justice is in all cases perfect and complete. It is not denied there are cases in which the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous are made to suffer. In spite however of all exceptions, and in spite also of an apparent incompleteness of the administration of the law in every individual case, there is abundant evidence of the existence of such a moral law which rules in the affairs of men. The full power and effect of the moral law is observable in the history of nations. The past bears eloquent testi- THE MORAL ARGUMENT 39 mony to the fact that a nation that recognizes and observes the moral law grows strong and prospers, while a nation which violates that law decays and falls. The principle finds expression in sacred Scripture in such passages as “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 13:34), and “The nation and king- dom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” (Isaiah 60:12). It finds ex- pression also in literature in such phrases as “There is an enduring power, not our own, which makes for righteous- ness.” THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HAP- PINESS. The existence of a moral law is attested by the intimate relationship which exists between righteousness on the one hand and happiness and progress on the other. Man has been created with the capacity for happiness and the craving for it is a part of his nature. To attain true and lasting happiness he must conform his daily life to the moral law and do only that which is right. No real and permanent happiness is possible to him who violates the moral law. No wicked man is truly happy. There is likewise a desire for knowledge born within every human being, but only he makes progress in intel- lectual achievements who lives in accordance with the moral law. Violations of that law produce mental lethargy and intellectual darkness. The highest type of civilization is possible only where there is a clear recognition of the moral law and a strict obedience to it. GROUND OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. Conscience, experience and a survey of the con- ditions under which men must live and achieve their hap- piness and progress, all testify to the existence of a universal moral law which distinguishes clearly between right and wrong. Whence comes that law, and upon what ground 40 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH does the distinction between right and wrong finally rest? What is it that makes one act right and another wrong? The only satisfactory answer to these questions is to be found in the character of the Supreme Being who has made man and all created things and established the laws by which man’s life shall be governed. There are those who have sought to find the distinction between right and wrong in the constitution of things, but this is a vague expression and does not push the inquiry back to its ultimate conclusion. If we say that the ground of distinction between right and wrong is to be found in the constitution of things, we must go a step further and seek an answer to the questions, Why are things con- stituted as they are? Who or what constituted them thus? Such questions of course lead finally to the author of crea- tion, in whom alone may we find a satisfactory answer to our questionings. Others have undertaken to find the answer to the ques- tion before us by saying that the commonly accepted ideas of right and wrong are based upon considerations of utility, and are the result of prolonged observation as to what is best for mankind. According to such a theory such courses of conduct as in the long run produce the best results are regarded by men as right, and such as produce the largest amount of evil are looked upon as wrong. Such reasoning is not sound. It fails to give due recognition to the moral aspects of conduct. Nor does it attempt to say why moral actions are beneficial, and immoral conduct detrimental to mankind. The only hypothesis that fits the case in full is the theory that such acts as are in harmony with the char- acter and will of the Supreme Creator are “right” and those that are contrary to that character and will are “wrong.” The Supreme Being who is the Creator of all things that exist is the Author and Administrator of the moral law, and THE MORAL ARGUMENT 41 in Him and Him alone is to be found the ultimate ground of distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness. Corottary. The considerations set forth in the preced- ing paragraphs necessarily imply that we shall think of the Supreme Being as one who is Himself moral and righteous, a personality in whom is moral perfection. VALUE OF THE MORAL ARGUMENT. ‘The moral argument properly understood in all of its far-reaching significance is one of the strongest reasons for belief in God. Its value as evidence of the divine existence has been generally rec- ognized by thinkers and writers. To the German phil- osopher Kant is attributed the statement, “Two things there are that inspire wonder and constantly increasing reverence the oftener and the more they are considered—the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.” (Quoted by Edwin B. Frost in “The Heavens are Telling’). HARMONY OF THE MORAL ARGUMENT WITH BIBLE TEACH- ING. It is scarcely necessary to point out how closely the conclusions of the moral argument correspond with the teachings of sacred Scripture. Wrong doing goes in the Bible by the name of “stn,” and sin can best be defined as “that which is contrary to the nature and will of God.” Such a definition covers all that is named as sin in sacred Scrip- ture. There are sins of thought, word, and deed; sins of omission and commission; secret sins and presumptuous sins; original sin and actual sin; but whatever its special name or classification, sin in its essence is antagonism to the divine will. Throughout the Bible the distinction be- tween righteousness and sin is made to rest upon the char- acter and purpose of God. The Bible sets forth more fully than any other book or books known among men the obliga- tions of “the moral law.” The Bible likewise emphasizes the close relationship between righteousness and happiness, and between sin and suffering. Thus the results of in- 42 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH dependent investigation in the realm of morals and the clear teachings of the Bible coincide in demanding that we accept a belief in God as the only rational explanation of that moral law written in the hearts of men, whose operations none can stay, and in obedience to which man finds his greatest happiness. REVIEW QUESTIONS 46. With what does the moral argument deal? 47. How may the moral argument be stated? 48. What two basic facts are presupposed in connection with any law? 49. What three separate lines of evidence attest the reality of the moral law? 50. What is conscience? 51. Is conscience always reliable? 52. How do you account for conscience? 53. Does it pay to do right? 54. Should we do right because it pays? 55. Does history afford any proof of the moral law? 56. Is there any relationship between morality and human happiness ? 57. What is the ultimate ground of distinction between right and wrong? 58. What conception of God does the moral argument create in the mind? 59. How does the moral argument correspond with the teachings of the Bible? PARAL GROUNDS FOR BELIEF IN THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD SECTION I PRESUMPTIVE CONSIDERATIONS THE NECESSITY FOR A DIVINE REVELATION. By the pro- cesses of reason and the consideration of the facts presented in the foregoing arguments a man is brought to the point where he believes in the existence of God, and where he would be led to affirm with certainty that God possessed certain attributes or characteristics, such as personality, self-existence, omnipotence, wisdom, etc. The most patient investigation, however, and the most careful reasoning could never supply an adequate and satisfactory conception of the divine character, nor could it establish between God and man any other bond of relationship save that of creator and creature. The question of Zophar to Job, “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?” is one that must ever be answered in the negative, so far as the unaided powers of the human intel- lect are concerned. The human mind can by investigation and study find out much about God’s handiwork, but little about God Himself. Yet there is in the human heart an intense desire to “know” God, and to so understand His will and purpose as to conform life and conduct in accordance therewith. This capacity for sustaining a close and intimate relation- ship with deity, and the universal longing to satisfy that 43 44 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH inborn capacity, would constitute a unique phenomenon in human experience were there no provision made for its satisfaction. Every other legitimate craving of man finds its gratification. Therefore it is but reasonable to suppose that the God who made man and implanted within him the yearning for knowledge of deity and the assurance of a clearly defined relationship between God and man, would make ample provision for the satisfaction of these desires. Such a “Revelation” originating with God, and made in such manner as will meet man’s understanding and craving is a necessity to man’s welfare and peace of mind. THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH A REVELATION. It has been objected that it is impossible for an infinite God to reveal Himself in His fulness and perfection to a mind that is merely finite. This is undoubtedly true to some extent. The human mind cannot hope to comprehend the matchless per- fections of an infinite God, any more than a tiny tea-cup can hold the waters of the ocean. It is possible however for the tea-cup to be filled with ocean water to the extent of its capacity, and it is possible for the mind of man to be filled with a knowledge of God up to the limits of human under- standing. More than that it is not necessary for any man to know. There must be aspects of the divine character which utterly transcend man’s powers of comprehension, for even the most brilliant apostle of Jesus Christ con- fessed, “Now I know in part.” To deny the possibility of God making known to men His character and His will, would be to put a very narrow limitation upon the powers of Him who has made us. In imparting a disclosure of Himself and His truth unto men, it may be, and doubtless is, necessary for God to “accommodate” both the ideas and the language to human capacity, just as when in trying to explain to a child some of the mysteries of science or of life, we use the facts and PRESUMPTIVE CONSIDERATIONS 45 phrases with which the child is familiar, but nevertheless we seek to give to the child through the medium of such “ac- commodation” the knowledge that it seeks. Much of the figurative language of the Bible must be regarded as an accommodation to the capacity of those to whom it is ad- dressed, but behind the accommodation lies DIVINE TRUTH. SUPERNATURAL CHARACTER OF REVELATION. It has been objected that a revelation of God to man would necessarily be supernatural or “miraculous,” and this leads those who deny the possibility of a miracle to reject all belief in the Bible as a divine revelation. In the very nature of the case any disclosure on the part of God of His character and will, is necessarily “miraculous.” Doctor George P. Fisher defines a miracle as “an event which the forces of nature, including the powers of man, cannot in themselves produce, and which must therefore be referred to a supernatural agency.” (Manual of Christian Evidences, page 9). The only revelation of God which would in any wise meet the needs of humanity must of necessity be extra- or super- natural, for the obvious reason that the revelation of God in nature is insufficient. It is to be admitted at once that the revelation which man needs and which we believe has been given in the sacred Scriptures, is not to be accounted for on any natural grounds, but is distinctively supernatural. We will not at this point enter into any discussion as to the possibility of a miracle, reserving that subject for treat- ment under the evidences of the divinity of Christ. THE CLAIMS OF THE BisLeE. The Bible purports to be the record of a progressive revelation of God to man ex- tending over a long period of time. Many of the state- ments in the Old Testament are prefaced with such phrases as “God spake all these words saying,” or “Thus saith the Lord,” or other words of similar import. The great Jewish leaders especially the prophets claimed to speak not of their 46 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH own volition but by the authority of God. In the New Testament we find such statements as these: ‘Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works” (II Tim- othy 3:16, 17). These and other passages set forth clearly the claims of the Bible that it is not an ordinary book of human authorship, but THE wWorRD oF Gop. THE BASIS OF INQUIRY. With .a book before us that claims to be “inspired by God,” and a direct revelation of that truth which man needs to know, we must satisfy our minds as to the validity of its claims. There are those who regard the Bible as on the same plane as any other book, and who accept and weigh its teachings as they would the writings of the ancient sages of Greece. The question is: Is the Bible an ordinary book, or is it indeed “The Word of God,’—a revelation of that eternal .Supreme Being whose glory is revealed in the starry heavens, whose handi- work is disclosed in all the realm of nature? In seeking the grounds for an answer to these questions we shall examine, first the “External Evidences,’ and secondly, the “Internal Evidences.” REVIEW QUESTIONS 60. Why is a divine “revelation” necessary? 61. Is it possible for men to comprehend a divine revelation 62. Is a divine revelation to be regarded as natural or super- natural ? 63. What is a “miracle”? 64. Does the Bible claim to be a revelation of God? 65. What two classes of evidence have weight in determining the claims of the Bible? SECTION II EXTERNAL EVIDENCES DEFINITION. By the term “External Evidences’ are meant all those facts outside of the Bible itself which have weight in determining the validity of its claims as a divine revelation. THE VENERABLE CHARACTER OF THE BIBLE. The Bible is not a new book whose teachings are untried, but is on the contrary a very old and much tested book. The first five books of the Old Testament are attributed to Moses and must have been written at least 1,500 years before the be- ginning of the Christian era. The last book of the Old Testament was written about 400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The whole of the Old Testament was trans- lated into the Greek language about 250 years before Christ. The Greek version of the Old Testament is known as the Septuagint. The Old Testament was regarded by the Jews as a divinely given revelation, and is thus regarded by them to this day. The New Testament was completed within the first century of the Christian era, and has been looked upon by Christian believers as the completion of the revela- tion of God begun in the Old Testament. A book which has thus stood the test of time, and which has been held in highest veneration by so many successive generations of men is something out of the ordinary. Its great age, and the veneration in which it has been held for centuries, con- stitute a presumption in favor of the Bible’s claims. WIDE-SPREAD POPULARITY. There is no other book in the world that has attained as wide a circulation as the Bible. Bible societies continue to print millions of copies of this book year after year, and yet cannot supply the demand. A 47 48 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH few years ago when the text of the revised version of the New Testament was first released in New York City, it was telegraphed in its entirety to Chicago and appeared the next morning in one of the big daily newspapers. This indicates something of the tremendous hold the Bible has upon the minds of men. The fact that the Bible has ex- ercised such a hold upon men in the past, and that at the present time its circulation continues to surpass that of any other book, constitutes a second presumption in its favor. INDESTRUCTIBILITY. The indestructibility of the Bible. constitutes a unique phenomenon, which may also be re- garded as a presumption that it is what it claims to be. Not only has it escaped the ravages of time, fire, flood, wars, the overturning of thrones and the destruction of empires, but the combined powers of Church and State have been employed against it in vain. The Bible has been pro- scribed and all available copies of it consigned to the flames by the civil powers in their efforts to stamp out Christianity. During the Middle Ages the Church of Rome sought to prevent the circulation of the Scriptures and many of the earlier translations into the common tongue were con- fiscated and destroyed, but in spite of all such efforts there has been about the Bible a vitality which no power of man was able to kill. In almost every age there have been literary critics who have sought to destroy the influence of the Bible by under- mining men’s faith in it, but in every case their efforts have come to naught. Some have attacked the authenticity of the Bible, declaring that it was not, and could not have been, written by the men to whom it is usually attributed. A full investigation of the subject reveals however that there is a host of witnesses whose unequivocal testimony establishes the authenticity of the Scriptures beyond any possible doubt. EXTERNAL EVIDENCES 49 Amos R. Wells in Chapter II of his fine little volume “Why We Believe the Bible,” gives a list of these witnesses, and indicates the character of their testimony. The list includes the names of Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, and the manuscript known as the Didache, or “Teaching of the Twelve.’ Others have attacked the credibility of the Bible, asserting that the men who wrote the several books of the Bible were unreliable and therefore not entitled to belief. These critics have been refuted times without number. Doctor George P. Fisher gives a brief but satisfactory discussion of this subject in his “Manual of Christian Evidences,’ Chapter IX. Speaking of the apostles Doctor Fisher says, “They are worthy of belief unless it can be shown either that they intended to deceive, or were themselves mistaken.” The efforts of the skeptical critics to establish either of these two alternatives have utterly broken down. There is still another group of antagonists who have attacked the inspiration of the Bible, claiming that such a divine origin is impossible, that the Scriptures are but the work of men, and as such deserve to be ranked no higher than the writings of the world’s great thinkers and teachers. The widespread circulation of the Bible, and its influence upon the lives of men and the history of nations is the best answer to such captious critics. It is related that Voltaire tried to hold up the Bible to scorn and ridicule and asserted that within a few years no intel- ligent man would waste time in reading it. Shortly after Voltaire’s death the house in which he lived and wrote was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society and became its printing plant, where busy presses turned out thousands of copies of the sacred Scriptures. Today nobody reads Voltaire, but millions are diligently reading the Bible. INFLUENCE UPON CIVILIZATION. One of the strongest external evidences as to the character of the Bible is to be 50 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH found in its influence upon civilization. Not only is the Bible the foundation upon which rests the Christian Church, but its teachings have entered into every sphere of human life and become the foundation stones in the social struc- ture of the most enlightened nations of the world. Mr. Wells in the book to which reference has already been made enumerates some of the results which have been produced by the Bible, and discusses them one by one. We can but devote a sentence to each. The Bible by its high standards of human brotherhood has destroyed slavery and set up a lofty ideal of freedom. The Bible has lifted womanhood from degradation and inferiority to an equality with man. The Bible has instilled into human hearts a conception of the dignity of labor and established the principle that he is great- est who does most for his fellowmen. The Bible has stimulated art, and led to the erection of the world’s noblest architec- tural creations, the painting of the world’s most celebrated pictures, and the composition of the world’s finest musical masterpieces. The Bible has influenced all modern literature and given the theme for the finest epic poem in the English language—Milton’s “Paradise Lost.” The Bible has fostered education and given impetus to learning and science. The principles enunciated in the Bible have entered into the fabric of civil government and made it what it is today. President U. S. Grant once said, “Hold fast to the Bible: it is the sheet anchor of your liberties.” It scarcely seems possible that a book which produces such beneficent results could be otherwise than true. If its claims be denied, and the Bible looked upon as the mere work of men, then we would have the spectacle of a book filled with falsehood inspiring men to pursue the highest and purest ideals of truth, which would be an absurdity. The character of the spring is known by the water that flows from it. From the Bible have flowed streams of practical EXTERNAL EVIDENCES 51 and ennobling influence. It is but reasonable therefore to conclude that the book which has proven of such worth to mankind is what it claims to be—a revelation from God to man, disclosing those truths which it is necessary for man to know in order to achieve his highest happiness and use- fulness in this world. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. ve) REVIEW QUESTIONS What is meant by “external evidences” ? How old is the Bible? When was the first book of the Old Testament written? When was the last book of the Old Testament written? When was the last book of the New Testament written? How does the Bible compare with other books in popularity? What efforts have been made to destroy the Bible and its influence ? io: 74. What has been the influence of the Bible upon civilization? Do the effects produced by the Bible have any weight in deter- mining its claims? SECTIONS INTERNAL EVIDENCES DEFINITION. By “Internal Evidences” is meant such facts as are disclosed by an examination of the Bible itself. Were there no other reason for believing in the super- natural origin of the Bible, a careful study of its contents would afford a sufficient basis for accepting it as “The Word of God.” THE UNITY OF THE BiBLE. When we open the Bible we find that it is not a single book written by one writer, but a collection of sixty-six books, written by many dif- ferent men, at intervals extending over a long period of time. The writers of these several books came from many different walks of life and differed greatly in intellectual attainments. The period during which these books were written extended from about 1500 B. C., to about 96 A. D., or approximately sixteen centuries. Yet the entire sixty-six books are characterized by such a remarkable unity of design and purpose that they fit into each other like the finely fin- ished parts of a Florentine mosaic, making one complete and perfect whole. It would be impossible today to take fifty men, train them in one school, under one teacher, and then have them produce parts of a great book which would fit together as perfectly as do the several parts of the Bible. To have fifty or more men working at intervals far sep- arated in time, and piece by piece, book by book, producing such a monumental piece of literature as is the Bible, with a lofty spiritual purpose running through it from beginning to end, is indeed a most remarkable phenomenon, which can only be explained as it is explained in this remarkable book itself. There it is said, “Prophecy came not in old time 52 INTERNAL EVIDENCES 53 by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:21). Cer- tainly to account for the unity of the Bible it is necessary to believe that these human writers were guided and directed in their tasks by a supernatural power, whose influence ex- tended across the ages, and that thus were these writers led to perform their alloted portions of the work in accordance with a preconceived design. The design was God’s, and He employed the workman to perform each part of the task, and by His Holy Spirit led them to perform their duties in accordance with His own wise plan. THE HIGH IDEALS OF THE BIBLE. The wisest men of every age have tried to define the highest and best object and aim of human life and have laid down rules of conduct for the guidance of men in the attainment of the summum bonum. Some of them have considered the problems of human life from the esthetic standpoint some of them from the philosophic point of view, and others from the angle of the social and political welfare of the race. Many beautiful systems of morality have been wrought out in consequence, in some of which precious gems of truth may be found, but when these systems are compared with the lofty standards of conduct set up in the sacred Scriptures, they pale into insignificance even as do the stars before the glory of the rising sun. Between all man-made systems of morality and ethics and the ideal life as revealed in the Bible there is as much difference as there is between a wax figure and the sentient, breathing, active body of a living man or woman. So far superior are the ideals of the Bible to every other conception of life and character that they cannot be accounted for upon any mere natural grounds. Certainly it is impossible to believe that such conceptions sprang from the untutored minds of Jewish herdsmen and tillers of the soil, for in the Bible there is wisdom surpass- 54 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH ing that of the most learned sages of any land or age. Even those who refuse to concede the inspiration and authority of the Bible, marvel at its lofty standards of human conduct and acknowledge its superiority to any other book that has ever been written. Robert G. Ingersoll, in commenting upon the Golden Rule of Jesus Christ, wrote: “It is the perfection of religion and morality. It is the summum bonum. It was loftier than the teachings of Socrates, Plato, Mohammed, Moses, or Confucius. . . It superseded Greek patriotism, Roman fortitude, and Anglo-Saxon bravery, for with ‘Do unto others’ bravery and patriotism would not be needed.” The question naturally presents itself, Whence came these high and pure ideals of life? Whence these standards of human conduct so far in advance of the thinking of earth’s foremost men of wisdom? It does not seem possible that such conceptions of life could have been the natural off- spring of humble Jewish herdsmen or Galilean fishermen, most if not all of whom were men of little learning and less culture. The most reasonable explanation of these lofty expressions of ethical truth, is that they came from God, through the instrumentality of those men whom He selected and used for the pans of giving this divine revelation unto mankind. THE PREDICTIVE ELEMENT IN THE BIBLE. One of the most remarkable and mysterious elements in the Bible is to be found in its predictive passages in which future events are clearly foretold. These “prophecies,” as they are usually called, may be divided into four general classes: (1) Old Testament prophecies dealing with national events, such as the overthrow of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which predictions were fulfilled: (2) Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom on the earth, the fulfillment of which is INTERNAL EVIDENCES 55 recorded in the New Testament and in the entire history of the Christian Church in the world; (3) Prophecies uttered by Jesus concerning His own death, and the events which should follow it, including the overthrow and destruction of the city of Jerusalem, the fulfillment of which are recorded by the inspired writers of the New Testament and by the Jewish historian Josephus; and (4) New Testament prophecies concerning “the last times,” and things which shall be hereafter. This latter class of prophecies kas not yet been fulfilled, but the fact that the first three classes of predictions have been accomplished to the minutest detail invests the last with a fearful solemnity and affords ample ground for a firm belief in the ultimate fulfillment of every prophetic statement of the sacred Word. The predictive element in the Bible constitutes one of its most remarkable features. No mere man by the exer- cise of his natural faculties can foretell with any degree of certainty what a single day may bring forth. The writers of the Bible declared with assurance events which were still far off in the dim centuries of the future, and as the cen- turies unrolled the scroll of human history, the events tran- spired and are recorded just as had been foretold. How can such “prophecy” be explained? There is but one rational explanation to be given, and that is set forth in the words already quoted: “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” THE BIBLE’S IRRESISTIBLE APPEAL TO THE SOUL. ‘There is that about the Bible which makes a direct and irrisistible appeal to the human soul, and this quality stamps this “Book of books” as unique and in a class by itself, and likewise constitutes one of the strongest reasons for a belief in its inspiration and authority. Many a man as he has read the pages of this remarkable book, has felt that here God 56 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH was speaking directly to him, and upon this fact alone has built a strong and robust faith. This has been true of the learned and the wise and of the ignorant and illiterate, of statesmen who ruled over the destinies of nations and of humble toilers who earned their daily bread by the sweat of their brows. The appeal of the Bible is not to any one class, but to all kinds and conditions of men, in every land and age. In the Bible itself we read “The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). It is remark- able how the Bible reveals a man to himself; how it pierces into his inner consciousness and carries conviction to his soul; how it comes to parched and barren hearts and causes them to bring forth the flowers and fruits of godliness. The Bible has often been called “a self-attesting book.” It does bear within itself the marks of its supernatural origin and character. Saint Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (II Timothy 3:16). The word in the original Greek is ‘‘@eomrvevaros”? (theopneustos) which literally means “God-breathed” or ‘‘God-breathing.” The Bible is the breath of God, according to this conception. Because it is the breath of God, there is within it a vital quality which distinguishes it from all other books, and makes a peculiar appeal to the human being “created in the image of God,” and into whose nostrils “God breathed the breath of life.’ To the human soul the Bible comes with a note of authority which carries conviction and it is this quality more than any other which constitutes its supreme vindica- tion as a revelation of God. Among hundreds of historic examples illustrating the INTERNAL EVIDENCES 57 appeal of the Bible to the souls of men, two may here be given. The story of Augustine is well known. He lived in the fourth century. He was the son of Patricius and Monica, whose home was in northern Africa. His father was a heathen of considerable wealth and of scholarly tastes. His mother was a devout Christian. As he grew to manhood Augustine followed the example of his father, drifted into gay company and lived the life of a libertine. There was no pleasure which he denied himself, and no sin of which he was not guilty. Then one day when he was thirty-three years of age, he was sitting in a garden in the city of Milan, and casually picked up from a table a copy of the Bible. He happened to open it at the thirteenth chapter of Romans and his eyes fell upon the words: ‘And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” The words seared themselves into his soul. It was as though a voice from heaven had spoken in stentorian tones. He could not shake off the profound and soul-stirring impression which the reading of the Word had given to him. He seemed to behold himself in a new light and to recognize the futility of continuing in the course he had hitherto pursued. He fell upon his knees and prayed for. forgiveness, and it is a matter of history that from that time Augustine became a changed man. He devoted himself to the cause of religion and became the foremost champion of Christianity of his day. His rich scholarship and brilliant talents have in- fluenced the thought of all subsequent ages. Thus does the Bible convict the human heart of sin, by its note of a UCHOTILY: and lead men to new and better things. The case of Martin Luther is likewise familiar. Luther lived in an age when the Bible was a comparatively unknown book. The Church of Rome withheld it from the common 58 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH people and few even of the priests were familiar with its teachings. Luther became deeply concerned for the welfare of his soul. He passed through severe spiritual struggles. He suffered intense agony of soul as he contemplated death and what lay beyond. He sought peace in acts of penance and self-mortification. He abandoned a brilliant career and shut himself up in a monastery. He spent whole nights in prayer lying prostrate upon the cold stone floor of the monastery chapel. His one supreme and all-absorbing desire was for the assurance of divine pardon and eternal salva- tion. He sought this boon in vain. In spite of all his acts of penance his soul was tortured with doubts and fears. Then he began to read and study the Bible, and as he did so, gradually the word led him out into the light of perfect assurance and peace. What he became is also a matter of history, but the Reformation of which he was the leading spirit, was born in Luther’s study of the word, and was but the projection upon the stage of the world of that supreme truth which had been certified to his soul by his study of the Bible. Thus does the Bible speak with convincing authority to those who seek truth, and carries to their souls the best evidence of its divine origin and character. REVIEW QUESTIONS 75. What is meant by “internal evidences” ? 76. Of how many different books is the Bible composed? 77. Were all these books written at one time? 78. How do you account for the unity of design that runs through the entire Bible? 79. What is the moral tone of the Bible? 80. How can its lofty ideals be accounted for? 81. What is meant by “predictions”? 82. How many classes of “predictions” are found in the Bible? 83. How can these predictions be accounted for? 84. Does the Bible make any special appeal to the human heart? 85. Does such an appeal have any evidential value in determining the origin and authority of the Bible? PAR DOTrt GROUNDS FOR BELIEF IN feos GERIST IAS LH ESON OFSGOD PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS At the center of all history there lived a very remarkable personality, who was known among his friends and as- sociates by the name of “Jesus” and to whom was given the title “Christos,” meaning “The Anointed.” Throughout the civilized world all dates are reckoned from the year of His birth—‘“B. C.,” Before Christ, or “A. D.,” Anno Domini, or in the year of the Lord. All students of the Bible agree that the Old Testament does but point forward to the appearance of this remarkable personage whose coming is foretold in the prophecies and prefigured in types and ceremonies of varied kinds, and further that the New Testament originates in Him and His teachings. He is the center of sacred Scripture, as He is of world history. The Christian Church, basing its faith upon the clear teachings of the Bible, has believed that this JEsus was not a mere man, but the Son of God incarnate. The Apostles’ Creed reads: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, etc.” The Nicene Creed reads thus: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, begotten of His father before all worlds, God of God, light of light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the father, by whom 59 60 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH all things were made, etc.” It was evidently the purpose of those who framed these creeds to use the strongest and clearest language at their command to express their pro- found conviction that Jesus Christ was more than a man, and that He was God. There are many people in the world today who profess to have a great admiration for Jesus Christ and who place Him among the greatest teachers that the human race has ever produced, but who in their speech and in their thinking ascribe to Him nothing more than perfect manhood. Such persons put Christ in the class with Moses and Socrates, and other wise and good men, but deny His deity. Even among Christians there is more or less loose and super- ficial thinking upon this subject and a lack of profound and clear conviction is discernible. Nothing is of more vital importance to Christian char- acter and life than a clear apprehension of the deity of Jesus Christ. A great thinker once said that the most im- portant fact with regard to any man was his opinion of Christ. When a man believes that Christ was God incar- nate he must acknowledge His authority in all things and accept His teachings as the law of his life. If he looks upon Christ merely as a wise and good man, he may, and will, treat His commands with as much or as little respect as he may feel disposed to do. There are six lines of investigation which help to form and strengthen one’s faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. They are: (1) The Prophecies of the Old Testament concerning Christ, (2) The Teachings of Christ, (3) The Miracles of Christ, (4) The Resurrection of Christ, JESUSTCHRIST PAST HEY SON TOrP.GOD 61 (5) The Influence of Christ upon History, (6) The Experience of Christian Believers. We will consider these in their proper order. REVIEW QUESTIONS 86. What is the meaning of the word “Christ”? 87. How are dates reckoned among all civilized nations? 88. What does this fact signify? 89. In what light is Jesus set forth in the Bible? 90. In what light is the character of Jesus set forth in the chief creeds of the Christian Church? 91. Is it important to have clear convictions as to the humanity or divinity of Christ? 92. What are the lines to be followed in an investigation of faith in the deity of Christ? SECTION) 4 THE ARGUMENT FROM PROPHECY DEFINITION. The word “prophecy” does not necessarily mean a prediction of future events. The term “prophet” is derived from two Greek words which signify ‘one who speaks in place of another.’ In the Old Testament the term is applied to those who were commissioned to speak to men in place of God, declaring the message of God to men. Inasmuch as the future is as well known to God as is the present or the past, it became a part of the divinely in- spired messages to speak with assurance concerning coming events, and inasmuch as this knowledge of the future con- stituted such a remarkable feature of these “prophecies” gradually the term came to have the significance of pre- dictions. Strictly speaking a prophecy is a declaration of the truth in God’s name, whether it deals with future events or not. MESSIANIC PROPHECY. The Old Testament is a pro- gressive unfolding of a divine plan for the salvation of the world. Throughout it is full of unmistakable references to the coming of a Messiah. Students of the sacred Scriptures unite in declaring that the types and ceremonies which form such a prominent part of the Mosaic system of worship do but pre-figure and point forward to the coming of this Messiah. Among all the features of the Old Testament which inspire men with amazement there is none which is more remarkable in every way than the prophecies in which the coming of the Messiah is foretold. These prophecies run like a golden thread throughout the ancient Jewish scrip- tures, beginning with the somewhat obscure “protev- 62 THE ARGUMENT FROM PROPHECY 63 angel” in Genesis 3:15, and growing ever clearer in their meaning until in the utterances of Isaiah and the later prophets, they glow with the radiant light of full revelation and correspond so perfectly with the events which they pre- dict that as Doctor Henry Collin Minton once said, “they read like preterit history.” THE CHIEF POINTS OF MESSIANIC PROPHECY. An exhaus- tive study of the subject of Messianic prophecy would re- quire the careful reading of the entire Old Testament, and it would then be found that there were few of the books in this collection of inspired writings which did not have some direct reference to the coming Christ. It will be suf- ficient for the ordinary student however to merely note a few of the outstanding points in the long line of prophecies concerning the Messiah. (1) The fact of His Coming. Beginning with the prot- evangel already referred to, there follow the covenant with Abraham, Genesis 12:3; Jacob’s blessing to Judah, Genesis 48:9, 10; the strange utterance of Balaam, Numbers 24: 17; and the clear statements of Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. These early predictions are followed by many others in later times. ; (2) The divine character of the Coming Christ. Per- haps the clearest and strongest of the prophecies dealing with the divine nature of the Christ who was to come is that in Isaiah 9:6, 7. Other passages of similar kind can readily be found. (3) The time of His Coming. Daniel speaks of this phase of the subject with the greatest fullness. In the inter- pretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream he declares that after his own mighty empire, there shall arise a second “inferior to it” (Persia) ; and that this shall in turn be succeeded by a third (Greece) ; and that this in turn shall give place to a fourth (Rome) ; and in the days of these kings shall God set 64 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH up His kingdom “which shall never be destroyed.” (Daniel 2: 36-45). Daniel likewise uttered the prophecy of “the seventy weeks,” in which he reckons the years by cycles of seven, and indicates with startling accuracy the time of Messiah’s appearing. (Daniel 9: 21-27). (4) Lhe place of His Birth. Nothing could be more clear than the declaration found in Micah 5: 2. (5) The; supernatural manner of His Birth, Isaiah 7: 14. (6) The herald who should precede Messiah. There are two references to the fore-runner in Malachi (3:1 and 4:5, 6), while Jesus himself declared that Isaiah 40: 3-5 also referred to John the Baptist. (7) The general character of Messiah’s Mission. Many passages might be cited, but Isaiah 35 and 61 should suffice. (8) The sufferings of Messiah. Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 might have been written by witnesses of the tragedy upon Calvary, and would, have gained nothing in graphic detail had they been so written instead of having been given to the world centuries before. CONSIDERATIONS TO BE KEPT IN MIND. With these ancient prophecies before us several considerations should be kept in mind in order that we grasp their full significance. (1) The cumulative force of these prophecies. Were there but one or two prophetic references to the coming of the Messiah we might dismiss them as of little moment. Did the prophecies deal with but one or two facts connected with the life of Christ, we would not attach a great deal of significance to them. The prophecies of the Old Testa- ment constitute a body of testimony ranging over a long period of time, uttered by many different men, dealing with various aspects of the Messiah’s birth, life, ministry, suffer- ings, etc. This body of testimony to the coming Christ con- stitutes one of the most unique phenomena in history. (2) The interpretations placed upon these prophecies by THE ARGUMENT FROM PROPHECY 65 the Jews. If the question be raised as to whether these prophecies originally meant, and were understood to mean, what we understand them to mean, or whether we have not read into them more than was originally intended, and inter- pretated them to suit subsequent events as they transpired, it is sufficient to reply that the Jews up to the time of Christ were looking eagerly for the appearance of their Messiah, that they believed that the time of His appearance was at hand, and they relied upon the declaration of Micah that Bethlehem should be His birthplace (3) The complete fulfillment of these Messianic Proph- ecies. However unusual and improbable some of these ancient prophecies may have seemed at the time of their utterance, they were fulfilled to the minutest detail. The New Testament records this fulfillment, and so perfectly does its historic record fit into the ancient predictions, that a unity of purpose and design, originating in a supernatural power, and manifesting its ultimate objective in successive steps extending over centuries of time, becomes apparent. No mere human agency can account for the prophecies and their fulfillment. To suggest that they were the result of natural causes operating in history, is to insult the intelli- gence of the thoughtful man. (4) The bearing of prophecy upon our estimate of Christ. For fifteen hundred years before His coming Jesus Christ was the center of Old Testament prophecy. This stamps Him at once as different from any other personage who has ever appeared among men, and invests His character and His life with inexplicable supernatural elements. The prophecies themselves however ascribe to Him all the at- tributes of deity. Isaiah speaks of Him as “The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father.’”’ Micah says of Him, “Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” The prophets conceived of the coming Messiah as “Immanuel,” 66 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH God-with-us, and ascribed to Him eternity, omnipotence, omniscience, holiness, love, and every other divine perfec- tion. An examination of the prophecies of the Old Testa- ment should remove every lingering doubt from the minds of men concerning Jesus the Christ and lead them to look upon Him as GoD INCARNATE. REVIEW QUESTIONS 93. What is the meaning of the word “prophecy”? 94. How far does Old Testament prophecy concern itself with the coming of Christ? 95. With what facts concerning Christ does Old Testament prophecy deal? 96. What prophet particularly indicated the time of Christ’s ap- pearing? 97. Which one indicated the place? 98. Which one indicated the supernatural character of Christ’s birth? 99. What is meant by “the cumulative force of the Old Testament prophecies” ? 100. Were the ancient prophecies understood by those who lived before the time of Christ? 101. To what extent were these ancient prophecies fulfilled? 102. What bearing do these prophecies have upon faith in Jesus Christ ? SH GOIN EL THE ARGUMENT FROM THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST JESUS AS A TEACHER. In Part II, Section III, reference was made to the lofty ideals of life set forth in the Buble. These ideals find their simplest and most sublime expres- sion in the teachings of Jesus. On one occasion soldiers were sent to apprehend Jesus as he taught the people in the city of Jerusalem, but they returned to their superior officers and said, “Never man spake like this man.” (John 7:46). The verdict of the soldiers is the universal verdict of man- kind. Jesus Christ stands forth as the world’s foremost teacher, and there are no others who have spoken with equal authority and assurance and no others who have wielded such a permanent and far reaching influence upon the thought and life of the human race. Jesus wrote no books; His teachings were uttered from day to day to the crowds of common people who gathered around Him; they have been recorded by the four inspired writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in a comparatively small space; but so true, so vital, so satisfying to the hearts and minds of men were the teachings of Jesus, that they have lived for nineteen hundred years, and their influence has but increased with the passing of the centuries. RELATION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT. The teachings of Jesus are in entire harmony with the teachings of the Old Testament, but are in the nature of a development of the system of truth revealed in the ancient writings of the Jewish people. Jesus declared, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17). To the sacred writings of 67 68 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH earlier times he gave a new interpretation, however, bring- ing out their profound spiritual meaning, even as a skilled artizan extracts the pure gold from the mass of ore. (Vide: the exposition of parts of the decalog in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5: 21ff, and the explanation of the “great” commandments of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19: 18, in Luke 10: 25ff, and also elsewhere). In a few instances Jesus added to the teachings of the Old Testament, speak- ing with assurance upon subjects which were not fully treated by those of earlier times, but in no case is there a conflict in fundamental principles. About the teachings of Jesus there is, however a lofty spirituality which places them on a higher plane than that of the Old Testament and stamps them with the hall mark of “originality.” Supyect Matter. The teachings of Jesus deal with the most profound subjects with which the human mind can concern itself, and yet the language is so simple and clear that a child can usually grasp His meaning. (1) Jesus gave to men a new conception of Gop. With- out obscuring in the slightest degree the attributes of the Supreme Creator or detracting one iota from the majesty and holiness which is His due, Jesus taught men to regard God as a loving “Father.” (Vide: form of address in the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6: 9, and the parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11ff). The son of the President of the United States should cheerfully render to his father every mark of reverence and honor that is due the Chief Executive of the nation, but what joy and pride should be his in the knowledge of the fact that the President is his father. So Jesus teaches men to approach the Supreme Being with all due reverence and humility, but with the joyous confidence that He is “Our Father,” with far more than an earthly parent’s love for His children. (2) Jesus has given to men clear and definite teachings THE ARGUMENT FROM THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST 69 upon the subject of sin. He taught that sin is rebellion against the Father’s will, and that in order to be free from sin a man’s heart must be cleansed from every evil thought and passion. (Vide: Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:20ff). He taught that there was forgiveness of sins through the mercy and grace of God. (He Himself forgave sins and He commissioned His disciples to go forth and preach the gospel of “remission of sin”). He emphasized the fact that a man who sought forgiveness must himself have a forgiving heart and spirit (vide: Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that tres- pass against us,” and the Parable of the Unmerciful Ser- vant, Matthew 18:23-35). Without minimizing the guilt of sin, Jesus has opened the door of hope to every sincere and contrite heart and pointed out the path to pardon and peace. (3) Jesus has given to men the supreme ideals of LIFE, SERVICE and Love. He taught that men should live un- selfishly, seeking not their own ends but the good of others (Matthew 20: 26, Mark 10: 43, etc.). He taught the beauty and power of disinterested love and gave a simple Golden Rule by which love could work (Matthew 7:12). Christ’s ideals of service are the highest the world has ever known and today are more widely accepted than ever before. (4) Jesus has given to men the strongest assurances of IMMORTALITY. Men have often asked the question of Job, “Tf a man die shall he live again?’ Learned philosophers have written and spoken upon the subject, sometimes af- firmatively, sometimes negatively, but no other teacher has ever spoken with absolute assurance as has Jesus, and no other has spoken in a manner so convincing to human hearts and minds. He declared that there should be a resurrection of the body, a general judgment, eternal blessedness for the righteous and everlasting punishment for the wicked. 70 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH THE NOTE OF AUTHORITY. The teachings of Jesus were uttered with the note of authority. He said, “We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen.” (John 3:11). His words bear upon them the stamp of truth, and appeal with power to the intellect and the soul of man. THE EXEMPLIFICATION IN LIFE. Jesus taught not only by word of mouth but in His own life gave a perfect ex- emplification of His doctrines. In no respect is there a conflict between what He said and what He was and did. In this the teachings of Jesus are different from the theories of many another teacher. Jesus has given to the world the supreme illustration of teaching put into actual practice. NECESSARY CONCLUSIONS. Two conclusions are to be drawn from the considerations that have been stated. First, the teachings of Jesus appear so far above those of any other teacher of men, that they seem to have had an origin higher than that of any mere human intellect. Nowhere else in all the range of literature can their lofty spirituality be duplicated. Secondly, Jesus declared that He was the “Son of God,” and those who were most intimately as- sociated with Him, also declared this. If today any man were disposed to deny the fact that Jesus was God incar- nate, he would be confronted with the utterly inconsistent and unbelievable alternative that He who gave to men the purest ideals of truth and the loftiest conceptions of life, was Himself either a deliberate deceiver or that He was Himself deceived as to His own nature and authority. It is inconceivable that Jesus should have been either a fraud or a fanatic in view of the spiritual teachings which flowed from His lips, and if neither of these, then He must have been what He Himself said that He was—‘‘The Son of God.” The teachings of Jesus bear eloquent testimony as to His deity. THE ARGUMENT FROM THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST 71 REVIEW QUESTIONS 103. In what respects was Jesus great as a Teacher of men? 104. Are the teachings of Jesus the same as those of the Old Testament ? 105. What conception of God did Jesus give to men? 106. Did Jesus minimize or emphasize the guilt of sin? 107. What simple rule did Jesus give for the guidance of men? 108. What did Jesus have to say on the subject of a future life? 109. Is there anything about the teachings of Jesus that stamps them as authoritative? 110. Does the personal life of Jesus bear witness to his teachings? 111. How can the teachings of Jesus be accounted for? 112. If we deny the deity of Christ what absurdity is forced upon us? SECTIONVHI THE ARGUMENT FROM THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST DEFINITION. In Part II, Section I, attention was called to the definition of a miracle as given by Doctor George P. Fisher. He describes it as “an event which the forces of nature, including the powers of man, cannot in themselves produce, and which must therefore be referred to a super- natural agency.” In the sacred narratives which describe to us the life of Jesus there are a. large number of such events—events which the forces of nature could not bring to pass, and events which are entirely beyond the powers of any ordinary man. These events are usually spoken of as “miracles.” These miracles are not to be considered as having taken place contrary to the laws of nature, but rather as having been brought to pass by a power superior to the forces of the natural world. In no case were the laws and forces of nature arbitrarily set aside or suspended, but in each instance a higher and stronger power temporarily exerted itself to supersede the laws and forces which ordinarily hold sway in the realm of natural events. REASONABLENESS OF MIRACLES. The holy Scriptures de- scribe Jesus Christ as God incarnate. Jesus Himself claimed to be God. Now if it once be granted that the Infinite Creator of the world has taken upon Himself the form of a man to live a life in the flesh, it is to be expected that from His person there shall burst at least occasional flashes of the mighty power that is His. It is as reasonable to expect manifestations of His omnipotence, as it would be to expect a display of His holiness, purity, compassion and love. Doctor Henry Collin Minton wrote: “Granted a 72 THE ARGUMENT FROM THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST 73 Shakespeare, we expect Shakespearean prodigies in his writ- ings; granted a Napoleon, we expect Napoleonic strategems in his career; granted a Lincoln, we expect the quaint say- ings and wise doings of a Lincoln; granted a Christ—in thought, in aim, in spirit, far above the levels of mankind— we expect a life, a work, a death, Christlike.” (Chris- tianity Supernatural, p. 75). Of God incarnate we may reasonably expect manifestations of divine power. Indeed without such evidences of His deity, the picture would be incomplete and the mind would not be satisfied. MIRACLES FORETOLD. As the inspired prophets of the Old Testament looked forward to the coming of the Mes- siah, they conceived of Him as God in the flesh, and de- clared that His sojourn among men should be marked by evidences of His mighty power. Thus Isaiah said of the time when the Messiah should appear, “Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.” (Isaiah Soci Oye CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRIST'S MIRACLES, ‘There are characteristics about the miracles of Jesus which distin- guish them from all other so-called “miracles” of ancient and modern times. Crafty men have sought to impose upon the credulity of the simple-minded by relating tales of startling happenings. Even today it is not an unusual thing for older people to entertain children by reciting to them “fairy tales” in which the most unusual and impossible hap- penings are treated as matters of fact. Between all other so-called ‘‘miracles” and the miracles of Jesus, there is, however, a broad line of demarcation which puts the latter in a class by themselves. Among all the efforts to inspire fear and wonderment, the simple record of the acts of 74 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH Jesus stands forth in a quiet majesty, which inspires faith within the heart. About the miracles of Jesus there was nothing fantastic or grotesque. They were not wrought for idle display or for the purpose of inspiring terror or amazement. It is specifically declared that Jesus refused to work miracles for the gratification of the curious (Luke 23:8, 9) or where faith in Himself was lacking. (Matthew LS rec). MoRAL QUALITY OF THE MIRACLES OF JESUS. There is a distinct moral quality about the miracles of Jesus. In every case the mighty power exerted itself in response to the dic- tates of compassion and mercy and love, and always does it act under the control of these impelling motives. The mir- acles of Jesus have as their purpose the alleviation of suffer- ing, the mitigation of sorrow and the banishment of fear. They bear an intimate and necessary relation to the supreme purpose of His life which was the destruction of sin and its consequences, and may be regarded as “signs” or seals of His power to heal from the curse of sin, ever™as He overcame its results in the bodies and minds and hearts of men. No man has grasped the full significance of the miracles of Jesus until he has recognized their moral characteristics. THE INNATE POWER OF JESUS. The miracles of Christ were wrought in His own name and by the power that was lodged within His own personality. He said, “I say unto thee, arise,” ‘I will, be thou clean,” ‘Lazarus, come forth,” etc. Later the apostles wrought mighty miracles in the name of Jesus, but Jesus wrought them by His own in- herent omnipotence. The picture of the God-man given in the New Testament: is that of a calm majestic personage, who in compassionate love and by the power of His own will, multiplied the loaves and fishes, healed the sick, stilled the storm, raised the dead, and performed many other acts THE ARGUMENT FROM THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST 75 of sovereign power which were not to be accounted for by any natural means or any human strength or skill, but which could only have been wrought by a supernatural agency. Nicodemus said to Jesus: “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him.” (John 3:2). EVIDENTIAL VALUE OF THE MIRACLES. The miracles of Jesus are a necessary part of our conception of the divine- human Christ, and they bear eloquent witness to His deity. They cannot be accounted for upon any other theory than that Jesus was God. It is idle to suggest that the miracles as recorded in the New Testament may have been the inven- tions of the disciples, for they differ so widely from all other similar inventions as to make such an hypothesis im- possible. Some one has said, “It would take a Christ to invent the character of Christ,’ and what is true of the character of Jesus in its entirety, is true in so far as His mighty miracles are concerned. Nor is it possible to en- tertain the suggestion that the disciples may have been sincere but mistaken upon this subject. They were too intimately associated with Jesus and over too long a period of time for them to have been in error in recording His miracles. Even more impossible of belief is the suggestion that they were guilty of deliberate deception in their efforts to further the influence of their master. Their narratives are characterized by too lofty a morality to be based upon foundations of fraud. Moreover they were writing at a time when any misstatements could be readily contradicted and refuted. There is but one course open to the honest investigator of the sacred Scriptures, and that is to accept them at their face value. Their clear records of the miracles of Jesus Christ possess large evidential value in establishing the faith of Christian men and women in the deity of the Son of Man. 76 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. D9: FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH REVIEW QUESTIONS . What is a miracle? Is it reasonable to expect that Jesus would work miracles? Did the Old Testament prophets refer to any such miracles? Do the miracles of Jesus resemble other so-called “miracles” ? Under what circumstances did Jesus refuse to work miracles? Is there any moral quality about the miracles of Jesus? Did Jesus work miracles by His own power or by appealing to a higher power? 120. Is there any evidential value to the miracles of Jesus? SEE TIO Na iy THE ARGUMENT FROM THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST Historiciry. The resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after His death upon the cross is not to be re- garded as a mere matter of doctrine, or as a mere article of Christian faith, but rather as an historic fact. Its historicity is attested by better evidence than are many other events in the history of the past that no intelligent man would think of calling into question. We do not say that we “believe” that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, but that we “know” it because of the evidence that establishes it as an historic fact. Nor do we say that we “believe” that Julius Cesar was assassinated by a group of Roman senators in the year 44 B. C. The evidence that establishes the historicity of this event is too everwhelming to admit of any reasonable doubt upon the subject. In like manner the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a matter of opinion, speculation or theory. The evidence that establishes it as an historic event is too over- whelming to permit doubt upon the subject. PREDICTIONS OF THE RESURRECTION. Beginning at a time at least six months before the final passover, it is re- corded by not less than three of the sacred writers that “from that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” (Matthew 16: 21, etc.). The events of Good Friday and Easter Day took place in accordance with the reiterated statements of Jesus which at once invests them with a supernatural character. 77 78 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH THE FACT OF THE CHRISTIAN CHuRcH. The Christian Church in the worid is a fact. It has stood for nineteen centuries and its power has constantly increased. Today it has encircled the globe and its members are reckoned by millions. Whence originated the Christian Church? Such a tangible reality as the Church demands a tangible source or cause, and when the history of the Christian Church is traced backward across the intervening centuries we are brought up at last in the city of Jerusalem on the first Easter Day when the risen Christ appeared to his sorrowing dis- ciples. It is not too much to say that every Christian church in the world today is a silent witness to the historic fact of Christ’s resurrection, for if Jesus had not risen from the tomb, and appeared to His astonished disciples there would have been no Christian Church. The disciples had abandoned all hope when they had seen their Lord expire upon the cross, and their only desire was to get back to their old haunts and their former manner of life and forget as soon as possible the complete blasting of all their fond hopes and expectations. Nothing short of the resurrection , of Jesus could have begotten them again unto a lively hope and sent them forth as enthusiastic preachers of the Gospel of the crucified Christ. The Christian religion and the Christian Church rest absolutely upon the fact of Christ’s resurrection, and the fact that Christianity exists in the world today is an evidence of the historic fact upon which it is based. THE FACT OF THE “Lorgp’s Day.” Throughout the civ- ilized world the first day of the week is observed as a day of rest and worship. To the day are given such titles as “the Christian Sabbath,” “the Lord’s Day,” etc. In ancient times it was not the first day, but the seventh, that was thus observed. Whence came the change? Why was the day which for so many hundreds of years was observed as the ARGUMENT FROM THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST 79 sabbath abandoned in favor of another day of the week? To accomplish such a far-reaching effect demands an adequate cause. No trifling occurrence would be sufficient to account for such a radical change in the habits of mul- titudes. And again when we trace the matter back to its final source we find ourselves standing with the first dis- ciples in the guarded room in the city of Jerusalem on that first Easter Day, which ‘Saint John declares was “‘the first day of the week.” (John 20: 19ff). The fact that all over the world the first day of the week is observed as “The Lord’s Day,” is an evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. THE TESTIMONY OF SCRIPTURE. ‘The inspired writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all describe the resurrec- tion, together with the events which preceded and followed it and their testimony is to be taken as that of reliable eye- witnesses of the event, or those who had first hand infor- mation concerning it. The most comprehensive treatment | of the subject in sacred Scripture is that given it by Saint, Paul in the fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians. Here the apostle gives a list of the witnesses who had seen the risen Christ. Eleven appearances of the God-man are recorded during the forty days that followed His resurrection. Upon one occasion, Saint Paul declares that Jesus was seen by more than five hundred persons at once, and he further de- clares that at the time he is writing the most of these eye- witnesses were still living and could be consulted by any who felt disposed to doubt the actuality of the resurrection. So far as is known no one arose to dispute the clear declara- tions of Saint Paul, made at a time when the facts were fresh and easily verified. THE CONVERSION OF SAINT Pau. The conversion of Saint Paul is itself an historic fact which is utterly inex- plicable upon any other theory save that which he himself 80 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH has given, namely that the risen Christ appeared unto him and “‘snatched him as a brand from the burning.” _ EVIDENTIAL VALUE OF THE RESURRECTION. The resurrec- tion of Jesus Christ establishes His supernatural character beyond doubt or question. Never before in the history of the world has it been known that a man who is dead should thus rise to life and activity. It is related that upon one occasion a learned philosopher came to Tallyrand, saying that he had worked out a beautiful system of religion, and that he was now trying to devise means for securing its acceptance by the people generally. “That is easy,” replied the shrewd diplomat, “You have only to get yourself killed and the third day rise from your grave, and everybody will believe in you and your religion.” Whether or not the remark was made in jest, there is a large amount of truth in it. There is ample testimony to establish the historicity of the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the fact that He actually arose, as He Himself had said He would do, affords a firm foundation for the faith of the Church that Jesus was God incarnate. REVIEW QUESTIONS 121. Is the resurrection a theory, a doctrine, or an article of faith? 122. Was there any prediction of the resurrection? 123. Does the existence of the Church have any relation to the resurrection of Jesus? 124. Does the “Lord’s Day” have any relation to the resurrection of Jesus? 125. Where in the Bible do you find the best treatment of the subject of the resurrection? 126. Does the conversion of St. Paul have any relationship to the resurrection of Jesus? 127. What evidential value do you attach to the resurrection of Jesus? SECTIONG V. Tue ARGUMENT FROM THE INFLUENCE OF CHRIST THE FINAL VERDICT. There is a final verdict which is pronounced upon men and movements from which there seems to be no appeal in this world, namely, “the verdict of posterity.” The aggregate intelligence of the human race sooner or later assigns the permanent place which every great character is to fill in the universal Hall of Fame. Justice is sometimes tardy, but seldom does it fail. Many a man who at his death was execrated by his fellows has been lauded by succeeding generations; and many a man over whose bier elaborate eulogies have been pronounced has been utterly forgotten within a few brief years. Only that which is worth while endures. Only he who does con- structive work that possesses a large value for his fellow- men is long remembered. Only as a man and his work recede into the past and succeeding generations view his life and its results in true perspective, is his place in history established. What is history’s verdict concerning Jesus Christ? Nineteen hundred years have passed since He was here upon the earth in bodily form: what have these nineteen centuries to say concerning Him and His work? THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY. One of the most re- markable facts about Jesus Christ is the profound, far- reaching and ever increasing influence which He has exerted upon the lives of men and of nations. Concerning that influence He Himself declared, “The kingdom of heaven is as a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed: in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh 81 82 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Matthew 13:31, 32). Like a grain of mustard seed, small and insignificant, was the origin of the Christian religion looked at from the natural point of view: like a wide-spreading tree beneath whose grateful shade multitudes find rest and shelter, is that religion today. Like the pebble dropped into the placid waters of the moun- tain lake, the teachings of Jesus dropped into the waters of human life, have caused waves of influence to travel in ever- widening circles until they have reached the utmost boun- daries; but unlike the waves caused by the pebble, the in- fluence of Jesus Christ grows stronger, rather than weaker, as it recedes from its point of origin. His influence is stronger today than it has ever been in the history of the past. Looked at from a purely natural point of view this fact constitutes a remarkable phenomenon. Jesus spent most of His life in poverty and was un- acquainted with schools, forums or palaces. He said, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” The dis- ciples whom He gathered around Him were men of humble origin, lacking in education, without wealth or social stand- ing, and yet, the teachings of Jesus Christ communicated to a small number of obscure fishermen and peasants with the commission to carry them “into all the world” have permeated the lives of countless millions of men and are today the most potent force in the society of the world. THE MEANS OF GROWTH. The means employed by the followers of Jesus Christ in propagating His gospel are likewise remarkable. The Christian religion has come into conflict with the sinful habits and customs of men, with heathen cults and with civil powers, and it has met the vicious and violent attacks of its adversaries armed merely with holiness and love, but by these powerful weapons has ARGUMENT FROM THE INFLUENCE OF CHRIST 83 conquered. Mohammedanisn has made use of the torch and the sword in compelling thousands of subjugated peoples to become the unwilling converts of Islam. Christianity has ever sought to win its way by demonstrating the beauty and power of truth and love in the hearts and lives of its ad- herents. Only where the Church has followed the example of Jesus and the early disciples in this respect has it been successful. Never where the Church has followed the ex- ample of her Lord has it failed to make progress. Neither the power of wealth nor armed might has proven worth while in advancing the religion of Christ but the practical exemplification of the teachings of Jesus in the lives of his followers has been the one factor that has brought triumph to the cause. Napoleon once declared: ‘Alexander, Cesar, Charle- magne and I have established kingdoms by force, and they have perished: Jesus Christ established a kingdom by love and it is conquering the world.” RESULTS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. Jesus Himself declares that any system of morals or any religion may properly be judged by its practical results. He said of men and of systems of thought “By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matthew 7:16, etc.). By the test which He thus proposes and which is regarded as fair and just by all men, what shall we say of the influence of Jesus as it has been exerted upon succeeding generations of men through the religion which He taught? In Part II, Section II, reference was made to the bene- ficient influence of the Bible, and the far-reaching effects which had been produced by its circulation among men. The central figure in the Bible, however, is Jesus Christ. Its truths reach their loftiest expressions in the words which fell from His lips. The entire New Testament is but the 84 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH reflection and amplification of His revelations of divine truth. Whatever has been accomplished by the Bible in the elevation of mankind and the enrichment of human life, when traced back to its ultimate source is attributable to Christ. The influence of Jesus has lifted society to a higher plane, made possible all that is best in modern civilization, abolished slavery, emphasized the sanctity of human life and the value of the human soul, raised womanhood from a state of degradation to a position of honor and equality with man, invested childhood with a sacred halo, introduced pure ideals of marriage and the home, stimulated intellectual endeavor, fostered education, imparted impetus to the arts, broken down tyranny and ushered in an era of political liberty, and in countless other ways has improved the con- ditions of human life while into human hearts it has infused courage, patience, hope, faith and love. If then we are to judge Jesus by the fruits of his brief ministry among men, we must agree that never did so much good flow from any single life since the beginning of time. REFLECTED INFLUENCE. It is said that the moon has no light of its own, but merely reflects the light of the sun. Nevertheless when the sun is far below the horizon, the earth is bathed in mellow radiance from the silvery orb of night. In like manner there are today streams of merciful light issuing from many sources—schools, hospitals, public charities, philanthropic institutions, and the like—which are not in themselves distinctively Christian nor in any manner connected with the Church. In some of them there is even an effort to ignore Jesus and His teachings: yet in the final analysis they have caught their inspiration from the spirit of unselfish service which characterized the life of Christ. Nowhere in heathen lands, or where there has been no knowledge of the Christian religion, do we find such institutions, and as a matter of fact they are but re- ARGUMENT FROM THE INFLUENCE OF CHRIST 85 flectors of Him who declared, “I am the light of the world.” EVIDENTIAL VALUE OF CHRIST’S INFLUENCE. He who was the source whence have flowed these beneficent streams of powerful and far-reaching influence asserted that He was THE SON oF Gop. Was He guilty of blasphemy in uttering such claims? ‘Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh?” (James 3:12). It is impossible for us to conceive of Him who was the source of the uplifting influences which have so richly blessed mankind otherwise than the incarnation of TRUTH. The results of his life and teaching as shown in the history of nineteen centuries bear eloquent and convincing testimony to the truth and the deity of Jesus. REVIEW QUESTIONS 128. Is it possible to estimate the greatness of a man or his work during his own life time? 129. By what verdict is every man’s position in history finally determined? 130. In what respects is the growth of the Christian religion re- markable? 131. What means have been employed for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? 132. What tribute was paid by Napoleon to Jesus Christ? 133. Is it proper to attribute the influence of the Bible to Jesus? 134. What has been the influence of Jesus upon the history of the world? 135. Do modern philanthropic and charitable institutions and move- ments derive their inspiration from Jesus or from other sources? 136. Does the influence which Jesus has exerted upon history have any evidential value? CONCLUSION THE CROWNING EVIDENCE—PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE. A man may read and study the best books that have ever been written about the manner in which a good violin is made and the best methods of playing upon it, but he will never be a violinist until he takes the instrument in his own hands and spends long years in practice. On the other hand a boy who knows nothing about the structure of the instrument and nothing about the theory of music, may by constant handling of the violin acquire a considerable amount of skill and be able to produce entrancing melody from its strings. In like manner a man may read and study the evidences of the ex- istence of God, the inspiration of the sacred Scriptures, and the deity of Jesus Christ, and be able to put into logical form the arguments and theories of the Christian religion, but he will never have a satisfying faith, until he has put the doctrine of Jesus Christ to the test of practical exper- ience. It is likewise true that many an humble soul who has never examined into the foundations upon which rests the faith of the Christian Church has been sustained in times of toil, trial, and sorrow, by a serene confidence which has been begotten in the school of experience. THE PURPOSE OF JESUS. Jesus Christ did not design to formulate merely a system of theology or to give to men merely a philosophy of life which might become the subject of academic discussion among the learned and the wise. It was His purpose to reveal a practical religion according to which men might live day by day, and in the practice of which they might find courage, strength, hope, joy, and 86 CROWNING EVIDENCE—PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 87 peace. He emphasized the importance of putting His teach- ings into practice, and declared, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17). Here it is plainly taught that the best antidote for doubt is obedience to his precepts and commands. As a matter of fact it is undoubtedly true that the supreme and most convincing evidence of the truth of Christianity is to be found only in personal experience. ; SHINING EXAMPLES OF FAITH. The most brilliant and successful follower of Jesus Christ of whom we have any record today was the apostle Paul. He formulated the teachings of Jesus into a system; he wrote learnedly and well upon the most profound truths of religion; he is the author of one half the books in the New Testament, and has more to say upon the subject of “faith” than any other sacred writer. But the passages in the writings of Paul which impress us most deeply are those in which he treats of the subject of faith subjectively, as for example when he writes to Timothy, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (II Timothy 1:12). Two features of this statement challenge attention; first, his faith has developed to the point where he no longer says, “I believe,” but “J know,” and secondly, this develop- ment had taken place not in the course of protracted dis- cussions and debate, but in a deep personal experience ex- tending over a number of years during which he had had ample opportunity for putting his belief to the severest tests. That the martyrs were able to face the tortures of the arena with fortitude and joy was due to the fact that they had gained a serene and sustaining faith in prior exper- iences. That missionaries of the cross have gone forth to do and to die on the far-flung battle lines of missionary 88 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH enterprise, has been due to the fact that within their hearts burned a faith enkindled and fanned into blaze by personal experience. Men do not risk their lives for a mere theory of religion but the faith born of experience faces death without a tremor. Undoubtedly today the Christian who gets the most out of his religion is the man who has put to the test of prac- tical life the teachings of his Lord. For such a one the blatant attacks of the skeptic or atheist have but little mean- ing or effect, for over against them he places the things which he has learned and been assured of in personal ex- perience and his mind in serene and his faith secure. SPIRITUAL REALITIES. John Bunyan in “The Pilgrim’s Progress” has depicted in allegorical form some of the experiences through which he himself has passed. In early life he was oppressed with an over-whelming sense of sin and a longing desire to obtain assurance of divine pardon. For a long time he sought for relief and found it not; his burden did but grow heavier as the time went by. In his hour of bitterest spiritual agony he prayed earnestly for forgiveness and into his troubled heart there stole the sweet sense of God’s pardoning love. From that day on John Bunyan did not need any argument to assure him of the reality of spiritual things, and when he was persecuted and cast into jail, he was sustained by the faith that had been born of experience. No soul that has passed through such a conversion as that of John Bunyan needs any other argu- ment or evidence to establish the reality of God or the deity of Jesus Christ. Dwight L. Moody related how at a certain period of his ministry he became dissatisfied wth his efforts for up- building the Kingdom of God, and besought the Lord to fill him with His Holy Spirit. He tells also how one day there came an answer to his earnest and oft-repeated prayer CROWNING EVIDENCE—PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 89 and his soul was filled with peace and joy. From that day until the close of his life, Dwight L. Moody needed no other proof of the efficacy of fervent prayer nor of the reality of the Holy Spirit’s work of grace, nor did those who came into personal touch with this saintly man of God fail to feel the spiritual power that dwelt within him. It is said that Philip de Morney, the prime minister of Henry IV of France, was asked on his death bed whether he still retained his bright hopes of immortality, to which the distinguished statesman made reply: “I am as con- fident of it, from the incontestable evidence of the spirit of God, as I ever was of any mathematical truth from all the demonstrations of Euclid.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon once remarked to a friend, “I have been today to visit two of my church members who are near eternity, and both are as happy as if they were going to a wedding.’ Whence comes the faith that sustains and cheers the heart in the face of the grim fact of death? It is a faith begotten in the soul of man by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit and made strong in the trying experiences of practical life. Many a man in the face of great peril has humbled him- self in prayer to God, and found his petitions answered far beyond his expectations. Many a man crushed by calamity or sorrow has fallen upon his knees in supplication, and in the midst of his adversities found a “peace that passeth all human understanding.” Many a man confronted by tasks that seem altogether beyond his strength, has cast himself upon the Lord, and been directed and strengthened to such a degree that he has accomplished easily that which seemed impossible. Those who have actually tried the efficacy of prayer, need no additional argument to establish their faith. SCRIPTURAL EXPLANATION. ‘The reason why personal ex- perience is the crowning evidence of the reality and worth of the Christian religion is indicated by at least two of the 90 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH New Testament writers. Saint John says, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” (I John 5:10). Saint Paul says, “The spirit himself bear- eth witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:16, Revised Version). To him who seeks the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ, God imparts His Holy Spirit under whose gracious influence there springs up in the heart a FAITH that glows with radiant light, illumin- ing the pathway of human life, transforming ‘character, producing a rich fruitage of virtues and blessings. He who has within himself the Spirit of Christ has the crowning evidence of Christianity. THE AUTHOR'S PARTING HOPE. It is a fine thing for every Christian to examine carefully into the foundations of Christian faith, and to make himself familiar with the arguments that have been levelled against it, and the argu- ments that have been used by those who have defended the Church’s position during the past nineteen centuries, but for every man or woman who reads these notes the wish of the author may be expressed in the language of Saint Paul: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13). REVIEW QUESTIONS 137. To what test must all theories be put? 138. What is the final and most convincing evidence of Christian truth ? 139. Is Christianity to be considered as a system of doctrine, or in another light? 140. How did Jesus say that deep and clear convictions were to be formed? 141. What did Paul say regarding his own faith? 142. Who today develops the highest and best type of Christian faith? CROWNING EVIDENCE—PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 91 143. Is a conversion to be looked upon as an evidence of Chris- tianity’s reality? 144. What was the experience of Dwight L. Moody with regard to prayer and the coming of the Holy Spirit? 145. Is prayer to be regarded as affording any Christian evidence? 146. What was the statement of Philip de Morney? 147. Quote two statements bearing upon the presence of the Holy Spirit in human hearts. 148. What are the fruits of Christian faith? 149. What was Paul’s desire for the Christians at Rome? LiF 1 en ct ad . Le i te inte Sates sarees tetas near tates